GCC Notice Period Comparison: UAE vs Saudi vs Qatar vs Kuwait vs Bahrain vs Oman
Every Gulf country requires notice before employment ends — but the length, the resign-vs-dismiss split and the wage basis for pay in lieu all differ. Here is the full comparison, pulled from each country's verified calculator.
A notice period protects both sides when a job ends: it gives the worker time to find new work and the employer time to hand over duties. Across the GCC the principle is universal, but the numbers are not. Below is every notice rule we've documented on our calculators, side by side.
The comparison table
| Country | Standard notice | Key detail | Pay-in-lieu wage basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇪 UAE | 30–90 days (as per contract) | Same both sides (Art. 43); probation 14/30 days (Art. 44) | Gross wage ÷ 30 |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Resign 30 days · Employer 60/30 days | Art. 75 as amended, effective 18 Feb 2025; employer gives 60 days if monthly-paid, 30 if not | Wage per contract ÷ 30 |
| 🇶🇦 Qatar | ≤5 yrs: 1 month · >5 yrs: 2 months | Art. 49, monthly/annually-paid workers, either party | Basic wage ÷ 30 |
| 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 3 months (monthly-paid) · 1 month (other) | Indefinite contracts; waivable via payment in lieu | Full pay |
| 🇧🇭 Bahrain | Flat 30 days | Art. 99(a), either party, no sliding scale by service | Basic + social allowance (Art. 47) |
| 🇴🇲 Oman | 30 days (monthly-paid) · 15 days (other) | RD 53/2023 Art. 38, unlimited contracts only | Comprehensive / gross wage |
Sources: UAE · Saudi · Qatar · Kuwait · Bahrain · Oman notice guides.
Which country requires the longest notice?
Kuwait's three months for monthly-paid staff on an indefinite contract is the longest fixed notice in the region. Saudi Arabia is close behind when the employer ends a monthly-paid contract (60 days). At the other end, Bahrain's flat 30 days and Oman's 15 days for non-monthly-paid workers are the shortest statutory minimums. The UAE sits in the middle but is unique in letting the contract set any figure between 30 and 90 days.
Does resigning change the notice you owe?
In most GCC countries the notice is the same whether you resign or are dismissed. The clear exception is Saudi Arabia, where (post-18-Feb-2025) a resigning employee gives 30 days but an employer ending a monthly-paid contract must give 60. The UAE only differentiates during probation, where a resignation to join a new UAE employer needs 30 days versus 14 days in the other probation scenarios.
The wage basis trap
If notice isn't served, the party in breach pays the other side for the unserved days — but the wage that payment is calculated on is not the same everywhere, and it is a frequent source of dispute:
- UAE and Oman use the gross / comprehensive wage — the widest basis.
- Bahrain narrows it to basic + social allowance (Art. 47) — notably narrower than the gross basis Bahrain uses for leave encashment, so don't assume one figure works for both.
- Qatar uses the basic wage.
- Kuwait uses full pay.
A note on Qatar's service threshold
Qatar is the only country here where the notice length steps up with tenure: monthly or annually-paid workers get one month up to five years of service and two months beyond five years (Art. 49). Everywhere else the notice length is independent of how long you've worked.
What about the Philippines and India?
The Philippines doesn't fit a single "days of notice" number — its Labor Code sets three separate regimes: 30 days' advance notice to the employee and DOLE for authorized-cause terminations (redundancy, retrenchment, closure), a twin-notice due-process procedure for just-cause dismissals, and 30 days' employer-waivable notice for a resignation. Our Philippines notice period calculator handles all three. India has no single statutory notice figure for private-sector employees — it varies across state Shops & Establishments Acts and the Industrial Disputes Act — so we deliberately don't publish an India notice tool rather than state a number that isn't universally true.
Run your own numbers
Every rule above is live on its own calculator — pick your country, your situation and your salary to see the exact pay in lieu:
Frequently asked questions
Which GCC country has the longest notice period?
Kuwait's three months for monthly-paid employees on an indefinite contract is the longest fixed statutory notice in the region, followed by Saudi Arabia's 60 days when an employer ends a monthly-paid contract.
Is the notice period the same whether I resign or am dismissed?
In most GCC countries yes. Saudi Arabia is the main exception since 18 February 2025 — a resigning employee gives 30 days while an employer ending a monthly-paid contract must give 60. The UAE only differs during probation.
Does the notice period get longer the longer I've worked?
Only in Qatar, where monthly/annually-paid workers get one month up to five years of service and two months after five years. In the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman the length does not scale with tenure.
Is pay in lieu of notice calculated on the same salary everywhere?
No. The UAE and Oman use the gross/comprehensive wage, Bahrain uses basic plus social allowance, Qatar uses the basic wage and Kuwait uses full pay. Always check the wage basis for your country.
Why is there no India notice period calculator?
India has no single statutory notice figure for private-sector employees — it is fragmented across state Shops & Establishments Acts and the Industrial Disputes Act — so we don't publish one number rather than mislead.