Saudi Arabia Clarifies Hajj Leave Rules with Pay

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has set out the rules governing paid Hajj leave for workers in the Kingdom, clarifying who qualifies and how the entitlement works.

Under the Labour Law, employees may take paid leave to perform Hajj once during their service period, provided they have not previously performed the pilgrimage and have completed at least two consecutive years of service with their current employer.

The ministry stated that Hajj leave must be no fewer than 10 days and no more than 15 days, with the Eid al-Adha holiday counted within that period. The leave is fully paid and applies to both Saudi nationals and expatriate workers in the private sector.

While the leave is a legal entitlement, employers are not required to approve every request at once. The ministry noted that employers have the right to decide how many employees are granted Hajj leave each year, based on the needs of the business.

The benefit can only be used once. The regulation applies solely to employees who have not previously completed Hajj. Workers who have already performed the pilgrimage at any point in their lives are not entitled to this paid leave.