Article 46 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 46 من نظام العمل · الباب الرابع: التدريب والتأهيل
Article 46 requires a qualification or training contract to be in writing and to state the type of profession, the remuneration at each stage without linking it to piece-rate or output, the rights and duties of the parties, and the place of training.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يجب أن يكون عقد التأهيل أو التدريب مكتوباً، وأن يحدد فيه نوع المهنة المتعاقد للتدريب عليها، ومقدار المكافأة التي تعطى للمتدرب في كل مرحلة، على ألا يكون تحديدها على أساس القطعة أو الإنتاج، ويجب أن تُبيَّن في العقد حقوق المتدرب وصاحب العمل وواجباتهما، وما إذا كان التأهيل أو التدريب في منشأة تتبع صاحب العمل أو لدى منشأة أخرى.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 46 explained in plain English
Article 46 of the Labor Law sets out the form and mandatory content of the qualification or training contract, which Article 45 defined as the employer's undertaking to qualify or train a person to prepare them for a particular profession. The article is not satisfied with a mere agreement between the parties, but requires the contract to be in writing and to include the following particulars:
- The type of profession for which training is contracted.
- The amount of remuneration given to the trainee at each stage of the training, which must not be set on a piece-rate or output basis; that is, the trainee's remuneration may not be tied to the number of items they produce or complete, because the purpose of the contract is learning, not production.
- The rights and duties of the trainee and the employer.
- The place of training: whether it takes place at an establishment belonging to the employer, or at another establishment.
The aim of these requirements is to protect the trainee, who is often the weaker party, from ambiguity in the relationship: writing proves what was agreed, specifying the profession prevents employing them in anything other than what they contracted to learn, specifying the remuneration for each stage ensures they know in advance what they will receive, and preventing the remuneration from being linked to output prevents training from being turned into disguised productive work.
These provisions also apply to training contracts concluded under Article 47 with students of universities, colleges, institutes and centers and their graduates whom the Minister requires establishments to accept; that article provides that the provisions of this chapter apply to their contract, noting that Article 47 makes the provision of remuneration to these persons optional for the establishment.
The text in force is as amended by Royal Decree No. M/44 dated 8/2/1446 AH, effective from 20/8/1446 AH.
In practice, before signing, the trainee should make sure the contract is in writing and includes all these particulars, and the employer should draft it accordingly. If a dispute arises over a training contract that is unwritten or incomplete, it is appropriate to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
Fahad entered a training contract with a company in Dammam to prepare him as a refrigeration equipment maintenance technician. The company initially proposed that his remuneration be based on the number of devices he repairs each month, but the company's legal adviser pointed out that Article 46 prevents setting the remuneration on a piece-rate or output basis, so the contract was amended to set a fixed remuneration for each of the three stages of training. The written contract also included the type of profession, the rights and duties of Fahad and the company, and stated that the final stage of training would be at a partner workshop not belonging to the company, which the article requires to be stated expressly in the contract.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 46 of the Saudi Labor Law
Must a training contract be in writing under the Saudi Labor Law?
Yes. Article 46 expressly requires the qualification or training contract to be in writing and to include specified particulars such as the type of profession, the amount of remuneration, and the rights and duties of the parties.
May the trainee's remuneration be set by output or piece-rate?
No. Article 46 requires the remuneration to be set for each stage of the training, and that it not be set on a piece-rate or output basis.
What particulars must a qualification and training contract contain?
The type of profession for which training is contracted, the amount of remuneration at each stage, the rights and duties of the trainee and the employer, and whether the training takes place at an establishment belonging to the employer or at another establishment.
Does Article 46 apply to training university students and graduates?
Yes. Article 47 provides for a training contract between the trainee and the employer to which the provisions of this chapter apply, including Article 46, although Article 47 makes the provision of remuneration to these persons optional for the establishment.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/44 — 8/2/1446 AH
In effect from 20/8/1446 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- صدر المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/44) وتاريخ 1446/2/8هـ، وذلك بالموافقة على تعديلات بعض مواد نظام العمل (ويعمل بها من تاريخ 1446/8/20هـ)
وعدلت هذه المادة لتكون بالنص الآتي: "يجب أن يكون عقد التأهيل أو التدريب مكتوباً، وأن يحدد فيه نوع المهنة المتعاقد للتدريب عليها، ومقدار المكافأة التي تعطى للمتدرب في كل مرحلة، على ألا يكون تحديدها على أساس القطعة أو الإنتاج، ويجب أن تُبيَّن في العقد حقوق المتدرب وصاحب العمل وواجباتهما، وما إذا كان التأهيل أو التدريب في منشأة تتبع صاحب العمل أو لدى منشأة أخرى".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يجب أن يكون عقد التأهيل أو التدريب مكتوبًا، وأن يحدد فيه نوع المهنة المتعاقد للتدريب عليها، ومدة التدريب ومراحله المتتابعة، ومقدار المكافأة التي تعطى للمتدرب في كل مرحلة، على ألا يكون تحديدها بحال من الأحوال على أساس القطعة أو الإنتاج.
More articles on Training and Qualification
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Article 5 sets the scope of the Labor Law: every paid employment contract under an employer's management, government and public-body workers, charity workers, training contracts, and part-time workers within set limits.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على الآتي : 1 - كل عقد عمل يلتزم بمقتضاه أي شخص بالعمل لمصلحة صاحب عمل وتحت إدارته أو إشرافه؛ مقابل أجر. 2 - عمال الحكومة والهيئات والمؤسس
- Article 22Amended by M/44
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توفر الوزارة قنوات للتوظيف دون مقابل، تقوم بما يأتي: 1 - مساعدة العمال في الحصول على الأعمال المناسبة، ومساعدة أصحاب الأعمال في إيجاد العمال المناسبين. 2 - جمع
- Article 26
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1- على جميع المنشآت في مختلف أنشطتها، وأيًّا كان عدد العاملين فيها، العمل على استقطاب السعوديين وتوظيفهم، وتوفير وسائل استمرارهم في العمل، وإتاحة الفرصة المناسب
- Article 41
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تحدد اللائحة شروط الاستقدام، ونقل الخدمات، وتغيير المهنة، وضوابط ذلك وإجراءاته.
- Article 42Amended by M/44
Article 42 requires every employer to set a policy for training and qualifying its Saudi workers to raise their skills in technical, administrative and professional work, and leaves the detailed provisions to the Implementing Regulations.
على كل صاحب عمل وضع سياسة لتدريب عماله السعوديين وتأهيلهم، من أجل رفع مهاراتهم وتحسين مستواهم في الأعمال الفنية والإدارية والمهنية وغيرها. وتحدد اللائحة الأحكام
- Article 43Amended by M/44
Article 43 requires an employer to qualify or train, for its work, the Saudi workers who complete their studies at its expense, subject to the terms of franchise agreements, and refers the details to the Regulations.
دون إخلال بما تنص عليه اتفاقيات الامتياز وغيرها من الاتفاقيات من شروط وقواعد خاصة بالتدريب والتأهيل ورفع المهارات؛ على كل صاحب عمل أن يؤهل أو يدرب على أعماله من
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.