Saudi Labour Law 2026 Update for HR: Amendments, Contracts, Leave and Penalties – Dubai, 15–19 Feb 2027

Programme overview

Technical depth: Practitioner · Practical mode: Case study

Introduction

The amendments to the Saudi Labour Law made by Royal Decree M/44 came into force in February 2025, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) revised its schedule of violations and penalties in February 2026. In KSA the compliance risk now sits in documents HR already runs: contract templates, probation clauses, leave rules, resignation handling and termination letters. This Core Concept course takes HR practitioners through the amended articles and Implementing Regulations provision by provision, with ILO standards as the international reference. Participants leave with a Saudi Labour Law Compliance Action Plan for their organisation.

Course Objectives

• Interpret the Saudi Labour Law articles amended by Royal Decree M/44 and their Implementing Regulations and identify which HR processes each one affects
• Revise employment contract templates on Qiwa, including fixed-term contracts for non-Saudi employees and 180-day probation clauses
• Apply the amended rules on maternity, paternity and bereavement leave, resignation, notice periods and overtime compensation in daily HR administration
• Check termination and disciplinary decisions against the Saudi Labour Law and procedural fairness requirements before they are issued
• Maintain compliant employee records and track MHRSD regulatory changes through a structured compliance process
• Prepare a Saudi Labour Law Compliance Action Plan with owners and deadlines for HR management approval

Target Audience

• HR practitioners who draft, issue and renew employment contracts
• HR generalists who administer leave, attendance, overtime and employee requests
• Employee relations staff who handle resignations, disciplinary cases and terminations
• HR policy and compliance staff who maintain employee handbooks and procedures
• Personnel and HR operations staff responsible for employee files and Qiwa contract records

Course Outline

Day 1: The Amended Saudi Labour Law Landscape

• Saudi Labour Law Hierarchy: Royal Decree M/51, Implementing Regulations and MHRSD Ministerial Decisions
• Royal Decree M/44 Amendments Tracker: 38 Amended, 7 Repealed and 2 Added Articles
• ILO Core Labour Standards as the International Reference Point
• Employment Lifecycle Touchpoint Map for the Amended Articles
• HR Compliance Baseline Self-Assessment Against the Amended Law

Day 2: Compliance Frameworks and International Standards

• ISO 37301 Compliance Management System Applied to Saudi Labour Law Obligations
• Regulatory Change Management Cycle for MHRSD Decisions and Qiwa Rule Updates
• ILO Conventions No. 183 and No. 132 as Benchmarks for Saudi Leave Entitlements
• RACI Matrix for HR Compliance Ownership
• ISO 30414 Labour Relations and Compliance Metrics

Day 3: Applying the Amendments in HR Practice

• Qiwa Unified Contract Mandatory Clauses and Fixed-Term Contracts for Non-Saudi Employees
• 180-Day Probation Clauses and Probation Review Templates
• Leave Entitlement Matrix: 12-Week Maternity, Paternity and Sibling Bereavement Leave
• Resignation Workflow: 30-Day Employer Response, 60-Day Deferral and 30-Day Employee Notice
• Time Off in Lieu Policy for Overtime Compensation With Employee Consent

Day 4: Termination, Disputes and Compliance Risk

• Valid Reason and Procedural Fairness Checklist Based on ILO Convention No. 158
• Non-Discrimination Policy Review Against the Amended Equal Treatment Provisions
• MHRSD Violations and Penalties Schedule 2026 and the HR Compliance Risk Register
• Electronic Contract Records and Retention Under ISO 15489-1
• Amicable Settlement Before Labour Court Referral and Grievance Procedure Design

Day 5: Case Work and the Compliance Action Plan

• Contract Portfolio Audit Case Study: Manufacturer With Saudi and Non-Saudi Contract Types
• Employee Handbook Review Case Study: Services Company After the 2025 Amendments
• Contract and Policy Gap Analysis Matrix for an Own Organisation
• Saudi Labour Law Compliance Action Plan Drafting
• Peer Review Panel and Plan Defence

Skills You Will Gain

• Labour Legislation Interpretation
• Employment Contract Drafting
• Statutory Leave Administration
• Resignation and Notice Management
• Procedural Fairness Review
• HR Policy Revision
• Regulatory Change Tracking
• Employee Records Compliance

Why Attend This Course

• Return to work with a Saudi Labour Law Compliance Action Plan that lists every contract, policy and form that must change
• Answer employee and manager questions on probation, leave, resignation and notice under the amended law with confidence and consistency
• Spot the termination, disciplinary and record-keeping failures most likely to attract MHRSD penalties or a labour claim
• Compare how HR teams in manufacturing, retail, healthcare and services across KSA have implemented the same changes

Conclusion

Amendments to the Saudi Labour Law protect the organisation only when they reach the contracts, policies and daily decisions that HR manages. This course moves from mapping the articles changed by Royal Decree M/44, through compliance management and ILO standards, to the practical application of the changes in Qiwa contracts, leave, resignation, overtime and termination, and the 2026 penalties schedule. The final day turns that material into a Saudi Labour Law Compliance Action Plan that participants take back to HR management, with a clear route to close every gap.