What to do if salary is delayed in Saudi Arabia?

Many expats face the issue of delayed salary as their employers do not pay them before the salary date in Saudi Arabia. Here we have explained the courses of action available to them.

What is the Saudi Salary Date?

The date before which an employer is required to pay the salaries to their employees in Saudi Arabia under the Wage Protection System is the 10th of the following month.

• Saudi Salary Date: 10th of the following month.

Fine for the Delayed Salary

There is a heavy fine by the government of Saudi Arabia if an employer delays salary payment;

• In the case of failure to pay salaries through the WPS by the 10th of each month, a fine of SR 3,000 is imposed for each employee.
• If the salary payment is delayed for a period of 2 months in a row, the MOL will terminate the online services.

What to do if the salary is delayed?

If the Salary is delayed by;

• 1 month – do nothing, wait for it.
• 2 months – start looking for a job.
• 3 months – If the salary is delayed by 3 months, you are allowed to transfer Iqama without the employer’s approval.

In other words, if the salary is delayed by more than 3 months in Saudi Arabia, you should;

• Transfer job through Qiwa.
• After the transfer is complete, file a case in Saudi Labor Court.
• Recover the unpaid salary as well as the End of Service Benefits.

Make sure to keep the proof of your attendance records in either electronic form or hard copies. It might be required to prove in the court that you were present for the time period for which you are not paid.

Delayed Salary in Islam

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Give the worker his wages before his sweat dries.” – Sunan Ibn Majah 2443