How is unused leave paid when you leave a job in Saudi Arabia?
Last updated: October 2026. Based on the Saudi Labour Law; not legal advice.
When your job ends, the employer must pay you for the annual leave you earned but didn't use, including leave for part of a year. A simple way to estimate it: monthly wage ÷ 30 × unused leave days. This is paid on top of gratuity, even if your gratuity is zero.
How much leave you earn
Under Article 109, you earn at least 21 days of paid annual leave a year, rising to at least 30 days once you have served 5 consecutive years with the same employer. Under Article 111, leave for part of a year counts in proportion to the time worked.
The formula, with examples
Daily wage = monthly wage ÷ 30. Leave pay = daily wage × unused leave days. Example: on a SAR 6,000 wage with 18 unused days, the daily wage is SAR 200 and the leave pay is SAR 3,600.
Part-year example: if you earn 21 days a year and worked 8 months since your last full leave year, you've earned 21 × 8 ÷ 12 = 14 days.
Which wage is used?
Leave pay is usually based on your last wage. Whether allowances like housing are included can depend on your contract and company practice, so check your contract and ask HR how they calculated it. Our calculator uses your total monthly wage ÷ 30 as an estimate.
Leave pay is separate from gratuity
Even if you resign before 2 years and get no gratuity, your unused leave must still be paid. In your final settlement, check that leave pay is shown as its own line, not mixed into the gratuity.
Keep your own record
Note down every leave you take, and ask HR for your leave balance in writing before your last day. It's much easier to fix a mistake before you leave than after.
Work out your own amount
Enter your dates and salary to see your end-of-service pay instantly.