Minimum Wage
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Saudi royal decrees, regulations, and ministerial decisions.
Saudi National Law
What is this right?
Saudi Arabia sets a minimum wage of SAR 4,000 per month for Saudi nationals working in the private sector. This applies to jobs counted toward a company's Saudization (Nitaqat) quota.
- Private sector Saudi employees: Must earn at least SAR 4,000/month to count toward the employer's Nitaqat compliance.
- Public sector: Government employees have separate pay scales set by the Civil Service regulations.
- Expatriate workers: There is no general statutory minimum wage for foreign workers, but individual contracts must state the agreed salary.
Your employer must pay your full salary on time through the Wage Protection System (WPS), which tracks electronic salary transfers.
When does it apply?
- You are a Saudi national working in the private sector.
- Your employer is subject to Nitaqat requirements.
- You are employed under a written or verbal employment contract governed by the Labour Law.
What should you do?
- Check your pay slip — confirm your monthly salary meets the SAR 4,000 minimum if you are Saudi.
- Verify WPS compliance — your salary should be deposited electronically into your bank account, not paid in cash off-the-books.
- If your employer is late or underpaying, file a complaint through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) portal or by calling 19911.
- You can also file a claim through the Labour Courts for unpaid wages.
What should you NOT do?
- Do not accept off-the-books payments — if your salary is not processed through WPS, your employer is violating the law and you lose your paper trail.
- Do not ignore late payments — file a complaint quickly, as delays can make recovery harder.
- Do not assume all workers get the minimum — the SAR 4,000 floor currently applies to Saudis in the private sector for Nitaqat purposes.
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