Article 11 of the Saudi Social Insurance Law
المادة 11 من نظام التأمينات الاجتماعية · الباب الأول: الأحكام العامة
The article gives contributions and late penalties a privilege ranking after wages, and allows the Institution to attach and enforce against an employer's funds under conditions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- أن مبالغ الاشتراكات والغرامات التي تفرض على التأخير مضمونة بحق امتياز لصالح المؤسسة، تأتي مباشرة في الدرجة التي تلي امتياز استيفاء الأجور.
2- للمؤسسة -وفق الإجراءات القضائية والنظامية المتبعة- إجراء الحجز والتنفيذ الجبري عن طريق الجهات المختصة على أي أموال مملوكة لصاحب العمل أو مستحقة له، وذلك بقصد استيفاء المبالغ المستحقة لها، متى كانت جداول هذه المبالغ مصدقة رسميّاً من قبل الوزير أو من ينيبه.
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 11 explained in plain English
This article gives the General Organization for Social Insurance two powerful tools for collecting its dues from employers:
First: the right of privilege
Contribution amounts and the penalties imposed for delay are secured by a privilege in favor of the Institution, ranking immediately after the privilege for payment of wages. In practical terms, if debts compete over an employer's funds, workers' wages are paid first, and the insurance dues come next in rank.
Second: attachment and compulsory enforcement
The Institution may carry out attachment and compulsory enforcement against any funds owned by the employer or due to the employer, in order to collect what is due to it, on two conditions:
- It must be done in accordance with the applicable judicial and legal procedures and through the competent authorities.
- The schedules of the amounts due must be officially certified by the Minister or the Minister's delegate.
This article complements Article 10, which requires public bodies to ask for a certificate from the Institution proving that the employer has met its obligations. The article does not set out the steps of attachment here; it refers to the applicable procedures. An establishment owner facing an attachment or a claim should consult a lawyer specialized in social insurance matters.
Practical example
A factory in Jeddah has accumulated contributions and late penalties that it has not paid. Once the schedule of amounts due has been certified by the Minister or the Minister's delegate, the Institution may, through the competent authorities, request attachment of the factory's funds or of its dues held by third parties, in accordance with the applicable procedures.
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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Frequently asked questions about Article 11 of the Saudi Social Insurance Law
Do insurance debts have priority over the employer's other debts?
Yes. They are secured by a privilege that ranks immediately after the privilege for payment of wages.
Can social insurance attach an employer's funds?
Yes, in accordance with the applicable judicial and legal procedures and through the competent authorities, once the schedules of amounts are officially certified by the Minister or the Minister's delegate.
Does the attachment include funds owed to the employer by third parties?
Yes. The article covers any funds owned by the employer or due to the employer.
More articles on Social Insurance Subscription
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms used in the Social Insurance Law, such as employer, employee, worker, subscriber, compensation and insurance products.
يُقصد بالعبارات والمصطلحات التالية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني الموضحة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتض السياق غير ذلك: النظام: نظام التأمينات الاجتماعية. اللائح
- Article 2
The article provides that a year and a month under the Social Insurance Law are counted by the Gregorian calendar.
في تطبيق أحكام النظام، يقصد بالسنة والشهر: الوحدات الزمنية حسب التقويم الميلادي.
- Article 3
The article lists the three social insurance branches covered by the Law: pensions, occupational hazards and supplementary compensation, and unemployment insurance.
يشمل النظام فروع التأمينات الاجتماعية الآتية: 1- فرع المعاشات. 2- فرع الأخطار المهنية والتعويضات الإضافية. 3- فرع التأمين ضد التعطل عن العمل.
- Article 4
The article gives the Institution's Board of Directors the power to create optional savings programs in coordination with the relevant authorities, in accordance with the provisions set by the Regulations.
لمجلس الإدارة استحداث برامج ادخارية اختيارية بالتنسيق مع الجهات ذات العلاقة، وفق الأحكام التي تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 5
The article allows the Council of Ministers, on the Board of Directors' proposal, to create compulsory insurance products for Saudi self-employed persons and for certain categories of non-Saudi workers.
يجوز بقرار من مجلس الوزراء -بناءً على اقتراح مجلس الإدارة- استحداث منتجات تأمينية إلزامية لأي من الفئات المبينة أدناه، ويحدد القرار الأحكام اللازمة لذلك: أ - ال
- Article 6
The article lists categories of workers who are not subject to the insurance branches automatically, but as the Board of Directors decides and in accordance with the provisions set by the Regulations.
يكون خضوع الفئات المبينة أدناه لأحكام فروع التأمينات الاجتماعية بناءً على ما يقرره مجلس الإدارة ووفقاً للأحكام التي تحددها اللائحة، وهم: 1- العمال الذين يعملون
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.