Resignation Rules in the Gulf: Notice, EOSB and Final Pay by Country

6 min readLast updated: 2026-10-21

The Short Answer

In all six Gulf countries you resign by giving notice and working through the notice period, which runs from 15 days to 3 months depending on the country and how you are paid. Put your notice in writing so you have proof. What resigning costs you differs: in Saudi Arabia (Art. 85) and Kuwait (open-ended contracts, Art. 53), your end of service pay is cut unless you have 10 years (with a few exceptions), while in the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain the law text has no resignation cut.

Pick your country in the table below, then follow its step-by-step guide. When you are ready, write your notice with the resignation letter generator.

Tick: covered. Dash: partly covered. Cross: not covered.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait cut your end of service pay if you resign before 10 years (Saudi Arabia Art. 85; Kuwait, open-ended contracts, Art. 53). The UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain law texts have no resignation cut.

Resignation Rules Side by Side

Country	Notice you give	Service needed for EOSB if you resign	What resigning does to your EOSB	Can your employer refuse?	Final pay
UAE	In writing, as set in your contract: 30 to 90 days (Art. 43)	1 year (Art. 51)	No cut (Art. 51)	No approval step in Arts. 42 and 43. Unserved notice means pay in lieu.	Within 14 days of the contract end date (Art. 53)
Saudi Arabia	30 days in writing (Art. 75)	2 years (Art. 85)	Under 2 years nothing; 2 to 5 years (5.0 included) one third; over 5 to under 10 years two thirds; 10 years or more full (Art. 85)	Counts as accepted after 30 days. Employer may postpone up to 60 days in writing. You can withdraw within 7 days (Art. 79 bis).	Within 2 weeks when the worker ends the contract (Art. 88)
Kuwait	3 months if paid monthly, 1 month if not (Art. 44). Put it in writing for proof.	3 years, open-ended contracts (Art. 53)	Under 3 years nothing; 3 to under 5 years half; 5 to under 10 years two thirds; 10 years or more full (Art. 53)	Art. 44 lets either side end an open-ended contract after notice.	Ask PAM. Claims are not heard after 1 year from the end of the contract (Art. 144).
Qatar	In writing: 1 month in years 1 and 2, 2 months after (Art. 49)	1 full year (Art. 54)	No cut (Art. 54)	After probation either side may end the contract without giving reasons, with notice (Art. 49).	Ask the Ministry of Labour. Claims lapse 1 year after the contract ends (Art. 10).
Oman	In writing: 30 days if paid monthly, 15 if not, or longer if your contract says so (Art. 38)	No minimum stated in Art. 61	No cut (Art. 61)	Art. 38 lets either side end the contract with notice, based on a legitimate reason.	Ask the Ministry of Labour. Rights lapse 1 year after each fell due (Art. 9).
Bahrain	In writing: 30 days (Arts. 99 and 100)	No minimum stated in Art. 116	No cut in the law text (Art. 116)	Art. 99 lets either side end the contract with 30 days' notice. Your employer may waive notice (Art. 103).	Ask the Ministry of Labour. Contract claims lapse 1 year after the contract ends (Art. 136).

Each bar is the shortest notice the law allows a monthly-paid worker on an open-ended contract. UAE: your contract sets 30 to 90 days. Qatar: 1 month in years 1 and 2 of work, 2 months after. If you are not paid monthly, Kuwait is 1 month and Oman 15 days. A contract can set longer in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman.

Saudi Labour Law Art. 79 bis. Your employer can postpone acceptance by up to 60 days, in writing, with reasons given before day 30.

Country guides: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain.

What Resigning Costs You

The big difference is your end of service pay.

UAE Art. 51, Saudi Arabia Art. 85, Kuwait Art. 53 (open-ended contracts), Qatar Art. 54. Oman Art. 61 and Bahrain Art. 116 state no minimum.

Resigning with 3 years of service. Saudi Arabia pays one third (Art. 85) and Kuwait half on an open-ended contract (Art. 53). The UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain law texts have no resignation cut (UAE Art. 51, Qatar Art. 54, Oman Art. 61, Bahrain Art. 116).

Saudi Arabia: nothing under 2 years of service, one third from 2 to 5 years, two thirds from over 5 to under 10 years, and the full award from 10 years. A woman who resigns within 6 months of marriage or 3 months of childbirth, or anyone who leaves because of force majeure, gets the full award (Art. 87). Qiwa's calculator can show a lower figure in the sixth year than the law text.
Kuwait: nothing under 3 years, half from 3 to under 5 years, two thirds from 5 to under 10 years, and the full indemnity from 10 years, for open-ended contracts (Art. 53).
UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain: no resignation cut in the law text. The UAE needs 1 year of service, Qatar 1 full year.

Check your own figure with the calculators for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, or compare staying and leaving in the Stay or Go tool.

Leaving Without Notice

Quitting without serving notice has a price in every country:

UAE: pay in lieu equal to your wage for the unserved notice (Art. 43(3)), and a possible one-year ban on a new work permit if you leave before the contract ends for an illegitimate reason (Art. 50(1)).
Saudi Arabia: compensation equal to your pay for the notice period (Art. 76).
Kuwait: wages for the notice period (Art. 44).
Qatar: your basic wage for the notice period, and a one-year work-permit bar for an expatriate who leaves Qatar without keeping to the notice rules (Art. 49).
Oman: compensation for the notice period on your final gross wage (Art. 38).
Bahrain: the contract ends the day you stop work (Art. 99). You may owe the wage for the notice you did not serve, and a court can award further compensation in the cases in Article 112.

Every country also lists cases where a worker can leave without notice and keep their rights, such as an employer's serious breach or an assault. The conditions differ, so read the country guide first. Do not use absence as a way to resign: in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman prolonged absence can be treated as resignation or lead to dismissal without gratuity.

Resigning During Probation

Bars are drawn to scale in days, taking a month as 30 days. Kuwait counts working days, so its bar shows 100 working days as 100 days; in calendar time it is longer. Oman allows 2 months if you are not paid monthly. Bahrain allows up to 6 months for occupations the Minister lists.

UAE: up to 6 months. 1 month's written notice to move to another UAE employer, 14 days to leave the UAE (Art. 9).
Saudi Arabia: up to 180 days. No end of service award if the contract ends during probation (Arts. 53 and 54).
Kuwait: up to 100 working days, either side can end it without notice (Art. 32).
Qatar: up to 6 months. 1 month's written notice to move to another employer in Qatar (Art. 39).
Oman: up to 3 months if paid monthly, 2 months otherwise. At least 7 days' notice (Art. 37).
Bahrain: up to 3 months (up to 6 for occupations the Minister lists). 1 day's notice (Art. 21).

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Gulf countries cut your end of service pay if you resign?

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Saudi Arabia pays nothing under 2 years, one third from 2 to 5 years, two thirds from over 5 to under 10 years, and the full award from 10 years (Art. 85). Kuwait pays nothing under 3 years, half from 3 to under 5 years, two thirds from 5 to under 10 years, and the full indemnity from 10 years (Art. 53). The UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain law texts have no resignation cut.

How much notice do I give to resign in the Gulf?

UAE: the period in your contract, 30 to 90 days. Saudi Arabia: 30 days. Kuwait: 3 months if paid monthly, 1 month if not. Qatar: 1 month in years 1 and 2, 2 months after. Oman: 30 days if paid monthly, 15 days if not. Bahrain: 30 days. Put it in writing so you have proof.

Can my employer refuse my resignation?

In Saudi Arabia, your resignation counts as accepted if your employer does not reply within 30 days, though the employer can postpone acceptance by up to 60 days in writing (Art. 79 bis). In the other five countries, the notice articles let either side end the contract after notice and do not describe an approval step.

Do I still get my end of service pay if I leave without notice?

Leaving without notice has its own cost in each country, such as pay in lieu of notice. In specific cases, such as an employer's breach, you can leave without notice and keep your rights. The country guide lists the cases and conditions.

Where can I write a resignation letter for my country?

Use the resignation letter generator on this site. It states the notice period for the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman or Bahrain and lets you copy or download the letter.

Related Tools & Guides

Resignation Letter Generator How to Resign in the UAE How to Resign in Saudi Arabia How to Resign in Kuwait How to Resign in Qatar How to Resign in Oman How to Resign in Bahrain

More Guides

Unemployment Insurance in the Gulf: ILOE, SANED and the Other Schemes(8 min read)Dismissed or Made Redundant in the Gulf: What You Are Owed(8 min read)Kuwait Indemnity If You Resign: How Much You Keep(5 min read)Leaving UAE Checklist — Complete Exit Guide for Expats(10 min read)Leaving Saudi Arabia Checklist — Complete Exit Guide(10 min read)I Just Received My EOSB — What Should I Do Next?(9 min read)

Sources, updated 21 October 2026

The law and official pages this guide relies on. General information, not legal advice.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws and procedures may change. Consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your situation.