Article 50 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 50 من نظام العمل · الباب الخامس: علاقات العمل
Article 50 defines the employment contract as an agreement between an employer and a worker under which the worker undertakes to work under the employer's management or supervision for wages.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
عقد العمل هو عقد مبرم بين صاحب عمل وعامل، يتعهد الأخير بموجبه أن يعمل تحت إدارة صاحب العمل أو إشرافه مقابل أجر.
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 50 explained in plain English
Article 50 sets out the basic definition of the employment contract on which the remaining provisions of Part Five of the Labor Law are built. According to its text, an employment contract rests on 3 elements together:
- Two specified parties: an employer and a worker.
- Subordination: the worker undertakes to work under the employer's management or supervision, meaning that the employer is the one who directs and monitors the work.
- Wages: the work is performed in return for wages, so unpaid voluntary work does not fall within this definition.
Why does this definition matter in practice? Because the presence of these elements is what makes the relationship an employment contract subject to the Labor Law with all the rights and obligations in it, regardless of the name the parties give the agreement. What counts is the reality of the relationship: does the person work under the other party's management or supervision and receive wages? If the answer is yes, the relationship is an employment contract.
Its relationship to the neighboring articles:
- Article 51 complements this definition by addressing form: the contract must be written in two copies and authenticated according to the statutory provisions and what the Regulations specify, but the contract is considered to exist even if it is not written, and in that case the worker alone may prove the contract and their rights by all means of proof, and either party may ask for it to be put in writing at any time. For government and public-institution workers, the appointment decision takes the place of the contract.
- Article 49 distinguishes the qualification and training contract from the employment contract, since it provides for specific provisions that apply to it, namely annual leave and official holidays, maximum working hours, rest periods, rules of occupational safety and health, work injuries, and what the Minister decides.
If you doubt the nature of your contractual relationship, or you are offered a contract under a different name even though you work under the other party's management for wages, it is appropriate to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
Ahmed started work at a company in Riyadh after an oral agreement on a monthly salary, attending at the company's premises during hours it set and carrying out the tasks his direct manager assigned. Although there is no written contract, the three elements in Article 50 are present: an employer and a worker, work under the company's management and supervision, and wages in return. The relationship is therefore an employment contract, and under Article 51 Ahmed may prove the contract and his rights by all means of proof, and may ask for the contract to be put in writing at any time.
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 50 of the Saudi Labor Law
What are the elements of an employment contract under Article 50 of the Labor Law?
Three elements: an employer and a worker, the worker's undertaking to work under the employer's management or supervision, and that this is in return for wages.
Is an agreement an employment contract if it is not written?
Yes. Article 51 provides that the contract is considered to exist even if it is not written, and in that case the worker alone may prove it and their rights by all means of proof, while it must be written in two copies and authenticated.
What is the difference between an employment contract and a qualification and training contract?
An employment contract is subject to the provisions of the Labor Law in full, while for a qualification and training contract Article 49 provides for specific provisions that apply to it, namely leave, working hours, rest periods, occupational safety and work injuries, and what the Minister decides.
Does the name the parties give their agreement matter?
What counts is that the elements of the definition in Article 50 are present, that is, work under the employer's management or supervision for wages; to assess a particular case, it is advisable to consult a labor lawyer.
More articles on The Employment Contract
- Article 2Amended by M/44
Article 2 defines the terms used in the Labor Law, such as worker, employer, basic and actual wage, continuous service, types of work, secondment and resignation.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمامها ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: الوزارة: وزارة العمل. الوزير: وزير العمل. مكتب العم
- Article 8
Article 8 voids any term that contravenes the Labor Law, and any release or settlement of the worker's legal rights during the contract unless it is more beneficial to the worker.
يبطل كل شرط يخالف أحكام هذا النظام، ويبطل كل إبراء أو مصالحة عن الحقوق الناشئة للعامل بموجب هذا النظام أثناء سريان عقد العمل، ما لم يكن أكثر فائدة للعامل.
- Article 9
Article 9 requires Arabic in employment contracts, records, data and the employer's instructions, and makes the Arabic text alone the one relied on where a foreign translation exists.
اللغة العربية هي الواجبة الاستعمال في البيانات والسجلات والملفات وعقود العمل وغيرها مما هو منصوص عليه في هذا النظام، أو في أي قرار صادر تطبيقًا لأحكامه، وكذلك ا
- Article 18
Employment contracts stay in force and service continues when an establishment changes ownership or legal form, and the previous and new owners are jointly liable for workers' earlier rights.
إذا انتقلت ملكية المنشأة لمالك جديد، أو طرأ تغيير على شكلها النظامي بالدمج أو التجزئة أو غير ذلك، تبقى عقود العمل نافذة في الحالين، وتعد الخدمة مستمرة. أما بالن
- Article 37Amended by M/44
Article 37 requires a non-Saudi's employment contract to be written and for a fixed term, treats its term as one year from actual commencement if not stated, and renews it for a similar term if work continues.
يجب أن يكون عقد عمل غير السعودي مكتوباً ومحدد المدة. وإذا خلا العقد من بيان مدته تعد مدته (سنة) من تاريخ مباشرة العامل الفعلية، وإذا استمر العمل بعد انتهاء هذه
- Article 51Amended by M/44
Article 51 requires the employment contract to be written in two copies and authenticated, treats the contract as existing even if unwritten, and gives the worker alone the right to prove it by all means of proof.
يجب أن يكتب عقد العمل من نسختين، يحتفظ كل من طرفيه بنسخة منه، ويجب توثيقه وفق الأحكام النظامية ذات الصلة وفي ضوء ما تحدده اللائحة، ويعد العقد قائماً ولو كان غير
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.