Saudi Probation Rules Explained (2025 Change)
A plain-language walk-through of how Saudi probation actually works after the 2025 Labor Law change — and why your contract, not the law, sets the notice.
→ Open the Saudi Probation Period Calculator
The 2025 amendment shifted several probation defaults in the employee's — and the employer's — favour. Here is what changed and how it plays out.
What changed in 2025
| Aspect | Before the amendment | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 90 days default, 180 only by separate agreement | Up to 180 days, set directly in the contract |
| Termination rights | Could be reserved to one side | Mutual by default |
| Notice | Contract-governed | Still contract-governed |
Why the contract sets the notice
Unlike Saudi's post-probation notice (30/60 days under Article 75), probation notice is not fixed by statute. The Labor Law leaves it to the parties. So the crucial document during probation is your employment contract: it dictates how much notice, if any, is required to end the trial.
Scenario A — Contract specifies probation notice
If your contract says, for example, "either party may terminate during probation on 7 days' notice," that clause governs. Break it and the usual contractual consequences apply.
Scenario B — Contract is silent
If nothing is written, there is no statutory minimum — termination can be immediate. This is why a silent contract is riskier for the employee than a clear one.
Repeat probation and the six-month rule
You cannot be re-probated by the same employer for the same role. But two exceptions exist: a genuinely different position, or a gap of at least six months since your prior employment with that employer ended.
No end-of-service on probation exit
Leaving during probation earns no gratuity — the end-of-service award needs qualifying service. But probation time is part of continuous service if you stay, feeding into the end-of-service calculation later.
How probation feeds your later benefits
Passing probation does not reset your clock. The probation months are part of your continuous service, so they count toward the tenure that drives your end-of-service award and your notice entitlement later. A worker who serves 180 days of probation and then continues is treated, for service-length purposes, as having started on their original start date. The only things unique to the probation window are its flexible termination and the absence of any end-of-service payment if you leave during it. Once you are confirmed, the ordinary Labor Law protections and accruals apply in full.
Key takeaways
- 2025 change: 180 days can be set directly in the contract; termination is mutual.
- Probation notice is contract-governed, not statutory.
- A silent contract can allow immediate termination during probation.
- Re-probation needs a different role or a 6-month gap since prior employment.
- Probation time counts toward your later end-of-service award.
Frequently asked questions
Did Saudi probation length change in 2025?
Yes. Probation can now be set at up to 180 days directly in the contract, whereas before it defaulted to 90 days and needed a separate agreement to reach 180.
Are probation termination rights mutual in Saudi Arabia?
Since the 2025 amendment, yes — either party can terminate during probation by default, whereas the old law allowed the right to be reserved to one side.
What notice applies during Saudi probation?
Whatever your employment contract specifies. The Labor Law sets no statutory probation notice, so a silent contract means no minimum applies.
Does probation count toward my end-of-service award?
Yes, if you continue past it. Probation time is part of continuous service for the end-of-service calculation.
Related calculators & guides
More Saudi Arabia employment calculators
Calcnate keeps a full set of Saudi Labor Law tools — all updated for the 2025 amendments — so you can check every part of an exit or contract in one place:
- Saudi End-of-Service Calculator — the half-month/full-month award with resignation tiers.
- Saudi Notice Period Calculator — the 30/60-day rule and pay in lieu.
- Saudi Probation Period Calculator — the 180-day contract rules.
- Saudi Maternity Leave Calculator — 12 weeks at full pay.
- Saudi Leave Encashment Calculator — cash value of unused annual leave.
Browse everything on the Saudi Arabia hub.