How long is maternity leave in Saudi Arabia, and is it fully paid?
Maternity leave in Saudi Arabia for private-sector workers is 12 weeks on full pay under amended Article 151 of the Saudi Labor Law. The 6 weeks right after the birth are mandatory, and the worker spreads the other 6 weeks as she chooses, starting no earlier than 4 weeks before the expected due date. She may add one month without pay in any case, and one more month on full pay if the baby is born sick or with special needs. This guide follows the law as it stands in November 2026, after the amendments in force since 19 February 2025.
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Saudi maternity leave at a glance
Under Article 151 of the Labor Law, as amended by Royal Decree No. M/44, a working woman is entitled to 12 weeks (84 days) of maternity leave on full pay. The 6 weeks following childbirth are mandatory. The remaining 6 weeks can be placed before or after the birth, starting at most 4 weeks before the expected date set by a certified medical certificate.
| Entitlement | Duration | Pay | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity leave | 12 weeks (84 days) | Full pay | Article 151(1) |
| Mandatory part | 6 weeks after the birth | Full pay (part of the 12 weeks) | Article 151(1) |
| Flexible part | 6 weeks, from 4 weeks before the due date | Full pay (part of the 12 weeks) | Article 151(1) |
| Extension, in all cases | 1 month | Unpaid | Article 151(1) |
| Sick child or child with special needs needing constant care | 1 month after the maternity leave, plus 1 optional month | Full pay, then unpaid | Article 151(2) |
| Nursing breaks after return | Up to 1 hour a day | No pay reduction | Article 154 |
| Protection from dismissal | Pregnancy, maternity leave and related illness up to 180 days a year | – | Article 155 |
What Article 151 of the Saudi Labor Law says
The official English text published by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) reads: “A working woman shall be entitled to a fully paid maternity leave of (twelve) weeks, of which the six weeks following childbirth are mandatory, and she may distribute the remaining six weeks as she sees fit, commencing from four weeks before the expected date of childbirth” (HRSD, Labor Law Articles 149–160).
The same article adds three rules. The expected date of birth is set by a medical certificate certified by a health authority. If the birth comes later than expected and less than 6 weeks of leave remain after it, the shortfall is counted as unpaid leave. And in all cases the worker may extend the leave by one month without pay. The second paragraph covers a child born sick or with special needs whose health requires constant accompaniment: one month on full pay after the maternity leave ends, extendable by one unpaid month.
What changed with the 2025 amendments
Many English guides still quote 10 weeks or 70 days. That was the old text. HRSD’s summary of the amendments compares both versions (HRSD summary of Labor Law amendments, Arabic):
| Point | Before the amendment | Since 19 February 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 10 weeks on full pay | 12 weeks on full pay |
| After the birth | No work for 6 weeks after the birth | 6 weeks after the birth are mandatory |
| Start before the birth | At most 4 weeks before the expected date | From 4 weeks before the expected date |
| Late delivery | Not addressed | Shortfall below 6 weeks counted as unpaid leave |
| Unpaid extension | 1 month | 1 month, in all cases |
| Sick child or child with special needs | 1 month full pay + 1 month unpaid | 1 month full pay + 1 month unpaid |
The current text sets no minimum length of service for the leave, and HRSD’s English text now shows Article 152, which used to deal with maternity pay, as repealed. Older guides that link pay to years of service, or cite Article 156 for dismissal protection, are out of date.
How many months pregnant does maternity leave start?
The earliest start is 4 weeks before the expected due date, which is roughly the start of the ninth month of pregnancy. The worker can also keep all 12 weeks for after the birth. What she cannot do is take part of the mandatory 6 weeks before the birth, or come back to work during them, even if she wants to.
Three examples using the split as the law sets it:
| Case | Before the birth | After the birth | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starts 2 weeks before the due date, baby born on time | 2 weeks | 10 weeks (6 mandatory + 4 flexible) | 12 weeks on full pay |
| Starts 4 weeks before the due date, baby born 3 weeks late | 7 weeks | 5 weeks paid + 1 week unpaid to reach 6 | 12 weeks paid + 1 week unpaid |
| Starts on the day of birth | 0 weeks | 12 weeks | 12 weeks on full pay |
In each case she can still add one unpaid month. If the child needs constant care because of illness or special needs, one month on full pay follows the 12 weeks, and she may add another unpaid month.
Who pays maternity leave in Saudi Arabia: employer or GOSI?
Article 151 gives the worker the right to full pay. For births from July 2025, the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) pays a maternity compensation on behalf of the employer to insured women who meet its conditions. According to GOSI’s own guides (GOSI maternity compensation guide and GOSI maternity benefit guide for employers):
- Who: insured women in the occupational hazards branch, Saudi or non-Saudi, who are on the job on the date of birth.
- Contributions: at least 12 months, continuous or not, in the 36 months before the birth.
- Pregnancy: the birth takes place after at least 6 months of pregnancy, whether the baby is born alive or not.
- Births covered: from July 2025.
- Amount: 100% of the average monthly contributory wage in the 12 months before the birth.
- Duration: 3 months from the start of the month of the birth, plus 1 month for a sick child or a child with a disability.
- No double pay: the compensation cannot be combined with the wage, and the employer keeps paying the GOSI contributions during the payment period.
Because GOSI uses the contributory wage registered with it, check before the due date that your GOSI record matches the wage in your contract. If you do not meet GOSI’s conditions, the full-pay right in Article 151 still stands; discuss with HR how it will be paid, and keep it in writing.
How to request maternity leave and the GOSI compensation
- Get the medical certificate. Ask your doctor for a certificate of the expected due date, certified by a health authority.
- Tell your employer in writing. State the start date and how you will place the 6 flexible weeks.
- Apply to GOSI. After the birth, GOSI usually receives the birth data from the Ministry of Health and sends an SMS confirming eligibility; you then apply in the GOSI app and add your bank details. You may also apply up to one month before the due date by attaching the medical report of the expected date.
- Send proof of the actual birth date to your employer, since it fixes the start of the mandatory 6 weeks.
- Give written notice of any extension before the leave ends, whether the unpaid month or the extra month for a sick child.
- For a sick child or a child with a disability, attach the medical reports showing the need for a constant companion, and use the GOSI app service to extend the compensation by one month.
Employers can follow the payment status, start and end dates and amount from the establishment account on the GOSI website, under maternity benefit.
Common reasons maternity leave is disputed
From the cases we review, disputes usually come from a few repeated patterns:
- The employer still applies the old 10 weeks.
- No certified medical certificate of the due date was given, so the start date is contested.
- Leave was asked for more than 4 weeks before the due date; the extra days are not maternity leave and would have to be covered by sick leave backed by a medical report, or by annual leave.
- The GOSI application or bank details were never completed, so the compensation is delayed.
- The wage registered with GOSI is lower than the contract wage.
- The worker took work with another employer during the leave, which Article 157 says forfeits the entitlement.
Maternity leave in Saudi Arabia for expats
Maternity leave in Saudi Arabia for expats follows the same maternity leave Saudi labor law rules in Article 151. The text gives the right to “a working woman” with no nationality condition, and GOSI states that its maternity compensation covers Saudi and non-Saudi insured women. Points that matter for expatriate workers:
- Who is covered: workers under the Labor Law in the private sector. Domestic workers are excluded by Article 7 and follow their own regulation, and government employees follow civil-service rules.
- Medical care: Article 153 obliges the employer to provide medical care during pregnancy and childbirth.
- No second job: under Article 157, a worker who works for another employer during her leave loses the entitlement, and the employer may withhold or recover the leave pay.
- Your contract can add, not reduce: a contract or company policy may give more than 12 weeks, but any clause giving less is overridden by the Law.
Can you be dismissed during pregnancy or maternity leave?
No. Article 155 states that the employer may not dismiss a female worker, or give her notice of dismissal, during her pregnancy or maternity leave. The protection includes illness arising from pregnancy or childbirth, provided it is proven by an accredited medical certificate and her absence does not exceed 180 days in a year, continuous or intermittent (HRSD, Articles 149–160).
Days off for pregnancy complications before the birth are handled under the sick leave rules in Article 117, and they do not reduce the 12 weeks of maternity leave. A dismissal in breach of Article 155 can be challenged, with a claim for compensation under Article 77 and all end-of-service rights.
Rights after you return to work
Nursing breaks (Article 154)
On return from maternity leave, the worker may take one or more rest periods to nurse her child, up to one hour a day in total. This is in addition to the rest periods all workers get, and it counts as working time with no reduction in pay.
Annual leave is separate
Maternity leave is not taken from the annual leave in Article 109 (at least 21 days, or 30 days after five consecutive years with the same employer). After the maternity leave, the worker can agree with the employer to use her annual leave balance under the company’s leave schedule.
Resigning within 3 months of giving birth (Article 87)
A worker who resigns normally gets a reduced end-of-service award under Article 85. Article 87 makes an exception: a female worker who ends the contract within three months of the date of delivery receives the full award (HRSD, Articles 50–88). You can estimate it with our end of service calculator.
Paternity leave for fathers (Article 113)
Amended Article 113 gives a working father three days on full pay when his child is born, to be taken within seven days of the birth (HRSD, Articles 89–118). It is separate from the mother’s maternity leave.
How to claim maternity pay or challenge a dismissal
If the leave pay was not paid in full, the leave was refused, or the contract was ended during pregnancy or leave, the claim follows these steps:
- Friendly settlement with HRSD. The Friendly Settlement for Labor Disputes service is electronic and free. A labor office lawyer can represent you at this stage.
- Referral to the Labor Court. If no settlement is reached, the case is referred to the Labor Court within 21 working days, according to HRSD.
- Watch the deadline. A labor claim is not heard after 12 months from the end of the employment relationship, unless the court accepts an excuse or the employer acknowledges the right.
Keep the medical certificate, your leave request, the GOSI messages, payslips and any dismissal letter. Together they show the dates and the amount due.
Frequently Asked Questions about maternity leave in Saudi Arabia
In short, maternity leave in Saudi Arabia means 12 weeks on full pay, with the 6 weeks after the birth mandatory and the rest placed from 4 weeks before the due date, an optional unpaid month, and extra paid time for a sick child. Check your GOSI eligibility early and keep every request in writing.
If your leave was refused, your pay was cut or your contract was ended during pregnancy, our labor case lawyer team can review your documents and deadlines, in Jeddah or through online legal consultations.
To get a legal consultation from our team, contact us via the WhatsApp button at the bottom of the screen.
Read also:
Sources: (checked on 4 November 2026)
- Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers: Labor Law (Royal Decree No. M/51)
- HRSD, Labor Law English text: Articles 1–21 (Article 7), Articles 50–88 (Articles 85 and 87), Articles 89–118 (Articles 109, 113 and 117), Articles 149–160 (Articles 151, 153, 154, 155 and 157)
- HRSD Knowledge Centre: Article (151): women’s leaves
- HRSD: Summary of the Labor Law amendments (Arabic)
- HRSD: Friendly Settlement for Labor Disputes
- GOSI: Maternity compensation guide (Arabic) and Maternity benefit guide for employers (Arabic)
A legal advisor holding a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the prestigious Cairo University. He possesses extensive experience spanning over 25 years in criminal, civil, and family law, during which he has achieved notable accomplishments that have solidified his reputation as a valuable asset to any legal team
