Sick Leave Rules in the Gulf: How Much Paid Sick Leave Do You Get?
Falling ill while working abroad is stressful enough without worrying about your salary. Every Gulf country gives paid sick leave, usually in stages: full pay first, then partial pay, then unpaid. You normally need a medical certificate from an approved doctor or hospital.
Sick leave compared
| Country | Sick leave per year |
|---|---|
| UAE | Up to 90 days after probation: 15 days full pay, 30 days half pay, 45 days unpaid |
| Saudi Arabia | Up to 120 days: 30 days full pay, 60 days at 75%, 30 days unpaid |
| Qatar | 2 weeks full pay, then 4 weeks half pay, then unpaid (after 3 months of service) |
| Kuwait | 75 days: 15 full pay, 10 at 75%, 10 at 50%, 10 at 25%, 30 unpaid |
| Oman | Up to 182 days: 21 days full pay, days 22–35 at 75%, days 36–70 at 50%, days 71–182 at 35% |
| Bahrain | 15 days full pay, 20 days half pay, 20 days unpaid |
Practical tips
- Tell your employer quickly. Most laws and contracts require you to inform your employer within a short time, often two or three days.
- Get an official certificate. In some countries, sick leave certificates must be issued or attested through approved health systems.
- Probation: in the UAE, paid sick leave during probation is not guaranteed.
- Work injuries are handled separately from normal sick leave, usually with full pay during treatment and compensation where applicable.
- Keep copies of every certificate and message in case of a later dispute.
Can you be dismissed while on sick leave?
Labour laws in the Gulf generally protect workers from dismissal during approved sick leave within the legal limits, but employers may end the contract after the maximum sick leave is used up. The rules differ, so check with the labour authority in your country if this happens.
اردو خلاصہ
گلف کے ہر ملک میں بیماری کی چھٹی ملتی ہے: پہلے پوری تنخواہ، پھر آدھی یا کچھ فیصد، پھر بغیر تنخواہ۔ سعودی عرب میں پہلے 30 دن پوری تنخواہ ملتی ہے، یو اے ای میں 15 دن۔ ہمیشہ سرکاری ڈاکٹر کا سرٹیفکیٹ لیں اور کمپنی کو فوراً بتائیں۔