The document summarizes Saudi Arabia's civil service system. It outlines that Saudi Arabia has a monarchy system of government led by a King and Prime Minister. The civil service is governed by Islamic law and several government ministries and councils. The Ministry of Civil Service oversees recruitment and employment matters for government workers, including benefits like paid leave, healthcare, and retirement. However, the civil service system faces issues with corruption.

1. KINGDOM OF SAUDI
ARABIA:
CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM
Prepared by: MARY ROSE F.
MONTANO

2. COUNTRY PROFILE: SAUDI ARABIA
 Formal Name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Al
Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah).
 Short Form: Saudi Arabia.
 Term for Citizen(s): Saudi Arabian(s) or Saudi(s).
 Capital: Riyadh (estimated population 3.6 million).
 Major Cities: Population estimates for 2006 show
continued growth for Saudi Arabia’s major urban
areas: Jeddah (2.9 million), Mecca (1.6 million), Ad
Dammam/Khobar/Dhahran (1.6 million), and Medina
(854,500). Mecca and Medina have religious
significance that far outweighs their respective
populations.

3.  Independence: 23 September 1932
(Unification of the Kingdom)
 Public Holidays: Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha
September 23 as their Independence Day.
 Flag: The Saudi flag features white lettering on
a green background. Below the letters, also in
white, is a sword.

4. BACKGROUND AND LEGAL SYSTEM
 LEGAL SYSTEM: Islamic Law (Shari’ah).
 POLITICAL SYSTEM: Monarchy.
 HEAD OF STATE: King. The Saudi Arabian Basic Law
mandates that the the one remain in the
possession of the sons and descendants of the
kingdom’s founder.
 HEAD OF
 GOVERNMENT King.
 SUBNATIONAL
 ENTITIES Saudi Arabia is divided into 13 provinces (mintaqat,
singular mintaqah). Each province is governed by a prince
or member of the royal family. The capital city is Riyadh,
located in the province of Riyadh.
 SUBLOCAL
 ENTITIES Cities.
 LANGUAGE Arabic.

6.  Legislative Branch - Consultative Council or
Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman
appointed by the monarch for four year terms)
 Executive Branch - cabinet: Council of
Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
includes many royal family members elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary
 Judiciary Branch - Supreme Council of Justice.

7. MINISTRY OF CIVIL SERVICE
 Ministry established in 1999, with Dr
Muhammad bin Ali Al-Fayez as its first Minister.
It is the function of the Ministry to plan the civil
manpower required in the government sector and
to ensure that the competence of civil servants
matches the requirements of the Kingdom as it
implements its various development programs.

8. LEGAL BASIS
 Royal Decree No. 49 of 1977 to promulgate Civil
Service Regulations. Um Al Qura, pp. 1-10
 Ministerial Council Decree No. 178 of 2009
(1/06/1430 Hijri).
Umm Al-Qura, 2009-06-19, No. 4258, pp. 5-7
 Civil Service Council Decree No. 1/1352,
13/9/1429 on the Minimum Age for Specific
Groups of Civil Servants.
Umm Al-Qura, 2009-01-16, No. 4236, P. 7
 Decree No. 1/1285 of the Council of Civil
Service.
Umm Al-Qura, 1008-04-18, No. 4197, P. 4

9.  RECRUITMENT: All civil servants were ranked
according to grade, and advancement depended on
merit and seniority.
 Promotion/Staff Evaluation Process: Each
employee must aim to attain "excellent" in his/her
performance evaluation.
 Training: The Institute of Public Administration
(IPA) mainly provides short-term in-service training
for civil service employees
 Gender: Most formally employed females in the
Kingdom are working in the services sector,
particularly in education, health and social services.
While no female as yet occupy a ministerial or a
legislative post in Saudi Arabia, many hold sub-
cabinet and senior government positions mainly in the
education, health or social services sectors.

10.  Working Days: Saturday to Thursday
 Working Hours: 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM
 Official Holidays : Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and
Kingdom National Day
 Retirement age: 60 for men and 55 for women
 Employee Benefits: Medical insurance

11. LEAVE BENEFITS (SAUDI LABOR
LAW)
 Vacation/Annual Leave - a yearly fully paid
vacation of thirty-six (36) days
 Maternity Leave- period of sixty (60) days minimum
from date of giving birth
 Sick Leave - Saudi employees are entitled to full
salary sick leave of six (6) months, half salary for the
second six (6) months, quarter salary for the third six
(6) months and with no salary for another six (6)
months within four years.
 Compensatory Vacation (Eid Holiday)
 Regular Feast Vacations - “Eid Al Fitr” vacation
usually starts on twenty-fifth (25th) day of Ramadan,
and ends on the fifth (5th) day of Shawal. “Eid Al
Adha” starts on the fifth (5th) of Dhul Hijja and ends
on the fifteenth (15th) of Dhul Hijja.

12.  National Day Vacation – September 23
 Educational Leave - (14) days per academic year is given to
Saudi employees and seven (7) days per academic year to
contracting employees.
 Emergency Leave - entitled to not more than five (5) days
emergency leave in the Fiscal year
 Infant Care Vacation - This vacation is for a maximum of
three (3) years during her whole service in the government.
 Attendance Vacation - In case a Saudi employee is obliged
to accompany one of his/her relatives for treatment, he/she is
entitled to take vacation if the required period is more than
the due normal vacations. He/She can take extra vacation
period and it will be dealt with as paid Sick Leave
 Mourning Leave - In case of death of her husband, a Muslim
female employee, Saudi or non Saudi, may have a fully paid
leave during the whole period of mourning
 External Representation Vacation

13.  Accompanying Leave - leave is taken to
accompany spouse (husband or wife) who will
study outside the Kingdom; may be granted
unpaid leave for a maximum of six (6) years
 Study Leave - A Saudi employee who wants to
complete his/her studies and his/her application
for leave could not be granted may apply for
study leave without pay and be given for the
whole study period. His/Her job number is kept
until he/she returns
 Unpaid Leave - Leave without Pay results in
absence beyond the number of days provided as
legitimate in the employee contract.
 Examination Leave - employee who is studying
may be granted fully paid leave during the day/s
of the examination, provided that the
examination is not repeated

14. EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION AND ALLOWANCES
 Salary - the employee monthly salary is according to
the salary scale. The salary of Non Saudis employees
is based on contract. Salary is paid in Saudi Riyals on
the twenty fifth (25th) of each Hegira Month.
 Housing Allowance - Housing allowance given is
equal to three (3) months salary per year and is given
all at once. It must not be less than eight thousand
(8,000) Saudi Riyals and not more than fifty thousand
(50,000) Saudi Riyals.
 Transportation Allowance - provided to female
employees who are living outside with their husband
or family. Male employees are also provided with
transportation allowance. The amount depends on the
amount of the current basic salary.

15.  Furnishing Allowance - The Ministry of Health
pays furnishing allowance to its expatriate
employees amounting to fifty per cent (50%) of their
initial basic monthly salary and paid at the beginning
of the contract. This allowance is not provided for
employees hired locally
 End of Service Reward - In case of non renewal of
contract, the Ministry pays End of Service Reward to
its employees. This is fifty per cent (50%) of the latest
basic salary for each year of service, provided that the
employee spent a minimum of three (3) consecutive
years with KSMC. This reward is to a maximum of
fifty thousand Saudi Riyals (50,000 SR).
 Hajj Duty Compensation - The Ministry of Health
pays a reward to those employees, who work during
Hajj period in Holy Places. Payment is based on the
current salary of the employee

16. PROBLEMS AND ISSUES
 Corruption

17. PROBLEMS AND ISSUES