Employee rights
GCC Labour Laws Compared (2026): Leave, Working Hours, Notice & Probation
Private-sector labour law in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman side by side - working hours, annual and sick leave, maternity, probation and notice periods.
Quick answer
Each GCC country has its own private-sector labour law setting working hours, leave, probation, notice and end-of-service rules. Compare the key rules below, then open your country's page for the details and legal articles.
- Saudi Arabia labour lawSaudi Labor Law (Royal Decree No. M/51 of 23/8/1426H), as amended by Royal Decree No. M/44 with effect from 19 February 2025
- UAE labour lawUAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relationships, its Executive Regulations (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022) and later amendments, including Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024
- Qatar labour lawQatar Labour Law No. 14 of 2004, as amended (including Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020 and Law No. 9 of 2026)
- Kuwait labour lawKuwait Law No. 6 of 2010 on Labour in the Private Sector (as amended)
- Bahrain labour lawBahrain Labour Law for the Private Sector, Law No. 36 of 2012, as amended (Law No. 31 of 2014, Law No. 37 of 2015, Legislative Decree No. 59 of 2018 and Legislative Decree No. 16 of 2021)
- Oman labour lawOman Labour Law issued by Royal Decree No. 53/2023 (replaced the 2003 Labour Law issued by Royal Decree No. 35/2003)
Working hours across the GCC
- Saudi Arabia
- A maximum of 8 actual working hours a day or 48 hours a week.
- UAE
- Normal working hours are a maximum of 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week.
- Qatar
- The maximum is 48 hours a week, at 8 hours a day.
- Kuwait
- The maximum is 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week.
- Bahrain
- Normally 8 hours a day and no more than 48 hours a week, and actual work can never exceed 10 hours a day.
- Oman
- A maximum of 8 actual working hours a day and 40 hours a week.
Annual leave across the GCC
- Saudi Arabia
- At least 21 days of paid leave a year, rising to 30 days after 5 consecutive years with the same employer.
- UAE
- You get at least 30 days of fully paid annual leave for each year of service, or 2 days per month if you have worked more than 6 months but less than a year.
- Qatar
- At least 3 weeks of paid leave a year after one year of service, rising to 4 weeks after 5 years.
- Kuwait
- 30 days of fully paid annual leave a year, available after 6 months of service.
- Bahrain
- At least 30 days of paid annual leave a year once you complete one year of service, earned at 2.5 days per month.
- Oman
- At least 30 days of annual leave a year on full (gross) pay, which you can start taking after 6 months of service.
Sick leave across the GCC
- Saudi Arabia
- Up to 120 days a year: 30 days on full pay, 60 days on three-quarters pay, then 30 days unpaid.
- UAE
- After probation you can take up to 90 days of sick leave a year: 15 days on full pay, 30 days on half pay and the rest unpaid.
- Qatar
- After 3 months of service: 2 weeks on full pay, then 4 weeks on half pay, then unpaid leave.
- Kuwait
- Up to 75 days of sick leave on a sliding scale: 15 days at full pay, then 10 days at 75%, 10 at 50%, 10 at 25% and 30 days unpaid.
- Bahrain
- After 3 months of service you get up to 55 days of sick leave a year: 15 days on full pay, 20 days on half pay and 20 days unpaid.
- Oman
- Up to 182 days of sick leave a year, on a sliding pay scale from 100% down to 35% of your gross wage.
Maternity leave across the GCC
- Saudi Arabia
- 12 weeks of maternity leave on full pay, up from 10 weeks before February 2025.
- UAE
- Women get 60 days of maternity leave: the first 45 days on full pay and the next 15 days on half pay.
- Qatar
- 50 days on full pay, at least 35 of them after the birth, once you have one year of service.
- Kuwait
- 70 days of fully paid maternity leave.
- Bahrain
- 60 days of maternity leave on full pay, plus an optional 15 extra days unpaid.
- Oman
- 98 days of paid maternity leave, covering the period before and after childbirth.
Probation across the GCC
- Saudi Arabia
- Probation can last up to 180 days in total and must be written in your contract.
- UAE
- Probation can last up to 6 months, and an employer must give at least 14 days' written notice to end your contract during it.
- Qatar
- Probation can last up to 6 months, and only once with the same employer.
- Kuwait
- Probation can last up to 100 days and only applies if it is written in your contract.
- Bahrain
- Probation can last up to 3 months (up to 6 months for jobs named by the Minister) and must be written in your contract.
- Oman
- Probation can last up to 3 months if you are paid monthly, or up to 2 months for other pay arrangements.
Notice period across the GCC
- Saudi Arabia
- On an open-ended, monthly-paid contract, you give 30 days' written notice and your employer gives 60 days.
- UAE
- Either side can end the contract with written notice of at least 30 days and no more than 90 days, as set in the contract.
- Qatar
- After probation: 1 month's notice if you have worked 2 years or less, and 2 months if you have worked more than 2 years.
- Kuwait
- For an open-ended contract, notice is 3 months for monthly-paid workers and 1 month for all other workers.
- Bahrain
- Either side must give 30 days' written notice to end an open-ended contract, or pay wages for the notice period instead.
- Oman
- 30 days' written notice for monthly-paid workers and 15 days for others, unless your contract sets a longer period.
Ramadan working hours across the GCC
- Saudi Arabia
- During Ramadan, Muslim workers work no more than 6 hours a day or 36 hours a week.
- UAE
- During Ramadan, normal private-sector working hours are cut by 2 hours a day.
- Qatar
- During Ramadan the limit drops to 36 hours a week and 6 hours a day.
- Kuwait
- During Ramadan, working hours must not exceed 36 hours a week.
- Bahrain
- During Ramadan, Muslim workers may not work more than 6 hours a day or 36 hours a week.
- Oman
- During Ramadan, Muslim workers work a maximum of 6 hours a day or 30 hours a week.
Frequently asked questions
Are labour laws the same across the GCC?
The basics are similar (an 8-hour day, paid annual leave, end-of-service gratuity) but the details differ - annual leave length, probation, notice periods and maternity leave all vary, so read the law of the country you will work in.
Do these labour laws cover domestic workers?
Usually not. Most GCC countries regulate domestic workers under a separate law or regulation and exclude them from the private-sector labour law.
What can I do if my employer breaks the law?
File a complaint with the country's labour ministry or authority through its online portal or offices, and keep copies of your contract and payslips.
Working in the Gulf?
Calculate your end-of-service gratuity and check public holidays in every GCC country.