The Gulf Cooperation Council countries share a common cultural and economic framework, but their sick leave rules differ in structure, duration, and employer obligation. Bahrain offers the longest statutory entitlement at 55 days, Kuwait applies a graduated pay scale over 60 days, Saudi Arabia limits the employer to 30 days, and the UAE provides 90 days of unpaid sick leave with a two-week paid requirement. The differences are not cosmetic — they change the cost calculation for any employer operating across the region.

This guide compares sick leave across the six GCC states: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. It covers the statutory entitlement, the employer vs social insurance split, certificate requirements, and the key differences that matter for multi-country HR teams.

Key takeaways

  • Bahrain has the longest paid entitlement at 55 days (15 full pay, 30 half pay, 10 unpaid).
  • Kuwait provides 60 days on a graduated scale: full pay for the first 15 days, half pay for the next 30, unpaid for 15.
  • Saudi Arabia limits the employer to 30 days of paid sick leave per year.
  • The UAE provides 90 days of unpaid sick leave after a minimum 3-month service period, with the employer paying for the first 15 days under some interpretations.
  • Qatar provides 14 days of full pay and 14 days of half pay per year.
  • Oman provides 60 days on a graduated scale: full pay for 15 days, half pay for 15 days, unpaid for 30.

Country-by-country comparison

Feature UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar Kuwait Oman Bahrain
Total sick leave 90 days/year 30 days/year 28 days/year 60 days/year 60 days/year 55 days/year
Full pay period First 15 days First 30 days First 14 days First 15 days First 15 days First 15 days
Half pay period — — Next 14 days Next 30 days Next 15 days Next 30 days
Unpaid period Days 16–90 — — Last 15 days Last 30 days Last 10 days
Min. service required 3 months 3 months 3 months — 3 months 1 month
Certificate required Yes (from day 1) Yes (from day 1) Yes (from day 1) Yes (from day 1) Yes (from day 1) Yes (from day 1)
Social insurance supplement No No No No No No

United Arab Emirates

UAE sick leave is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law), articles 31–32.

Entitlement

After completing three months of service, an employee is entitled to 90 days of sick leave per year. The first 15 days are paid at full salary, the next 15 days at half salary, and the remaining 60 days are unpaid.

Key features

  • Service threshold: Three months of continuous service is required.
  • No social insurance supplement: There is no separate government sickness benefit that replaces the employer’s obligation.
  • Probation: Sick leave during probation does not extend the probation period unless the contract specifically provides for it.
  • Medical certificate: Required from day one of absence.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi sick leave is governed by Royal Decree No. M/51 (the Saudi Labour Law), article 117.

Entitlement

Employees are entitled to 30 days of sick leave per year at full salary, followed by 30 days at three-quarters (75%) salary, and 60 days of unpaid leave. The total statutory entitlement is 120 days, but only the first 30 days are at full pay.

Key features

  • Service threshold: Three months of continuous service.
  • No social insurance supplement for sick leave: GOSI (General Organisation for Social Insurance) provides disability and work injury benefits, but not a short-term sickness benefit that replaces the employer’s obligation.
  • Medical certificate: Required from day one. The employer may require examination by a GOSI-approved medical practitioner.
  • Cumulative across illnesses: The 30-day full-pay entitlement is annual and cumulative.

Qatar

Qatar sick leave is governed by Law No. 14 of 2004 (the Qatar Labour Law), article 203.

Entitlement

After completing three months of service, an employee is entitled to 28 days of sick leave per year: the first 14 days at full salary and the next 14 days at half salary. There is no unpaid portion — the entitlement ends at 28 days.

Key features

  • Shortest total entitlement: At 28 days, Qatar has the shortest statutory sick leave among the GCC states.
  • No social insurance supplement: There is no separate government sickness benefit for private-sector employees.
  • Medical certificate: Required from day one.
  • Contract termination: The employer may terminate the contract after the 28-day entitlement has been exhausted, subject to end-of-service entitlements.

Kuwait

Kuwait sick leave is governed by Law No. 6 of 2010 (the Kuwait Labour Law), articles 68–71.

Entitlement

Employees are entitled to 60 days of sick leave per year on a graduated scale: full salary for the first 15 days, half salary for the next 30 days, and unpaid for the final 15 days.

Key features

  • Service threshold: No minimum service period is specified in the statute for sick leave entitlement, though some interpretations require completion of the probation period.
  • No social insurance supplement: The Public Institution for Social Security (PISS) provides long-term disability benefits but not a short-term sickness benefit.
  • Medical certificate: Required from day one.
  • Cumulative across illnesses: The 60-day entitlement is annual and cumulative.

Oman

Oman sick leave is governed by Royal Decree 35/2023 (the Oman Labour Law), article 58.

Entitlement

After completing three months of service, an employee is entitled to 60 days of sick leave per year: full salary for the first 15 days, half salary for the next 15 days, and unpaid for the final 30 days.

Key features

  • Service threshold: Three months of continuous service.
  • No social insurance supplement: The Public Authority for Social Insurance (PASI) does not provide a short-term sickness benefit for private-sector employees.
  • Medical certificate: Required from day one.
  • Graduated scale: The 15-day half-pay period is shorter than Kuwait’s 30-day half-pay period, making Oman’s total paid period 30 days vs Kuwait’s 45.

Bahrain

Bahrain sick leave is governed by Labour Law Decree No. 36 of 2012, article 109.

Entitlement

After completing one month of service, an employee is entitled to 55 days of sick leave per year: full salary for the first 15 days, half salary for the next 30 days, and unpaid for the final 10 days.

Key features

  • Shortest service threshold: At one month, Bahrain’s minimum service requirement is the lowest in the GCC.
  • Longest half-pay period: At 30 days, Bahrain’s half-pay period is the longest among the GCC states.
  • No social insurance supplement: The Social Insurance Organisation (SIO) does not provide a separate sickness benefit.
  • Medical certificate: Required from day one.

Key differences for multi-country employers

For employers operating across the GCC, four differences matter most:

  1. Total entitlement range: From 28 days (Qatar) to 90 days (UAE). The range is wide enough to require country-specific tracking.
  2. Paid period duration: Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman all provide 45 paid days (full plus half pay). Saudi provides 60 (30 full plus 30 at 75%). The UAE provides 30 (15 full plus 15 half). Qatar provides 28 (14 full plus 14 half).
  3. Service thresholds: Bahrain requires only one month; all others require three months (or no threshold for Kuwait).
  4. Social insurance: None of the GCC states provides a separate short-term sickness benefit that replaces the employer’s obligation. The graduated scale is an employer duty across the board.

Common pitfalls

1. Applying UAE rules in Saudi Arabia (or vice versa)

The UAE’s 90-day entitlement at partial pay is structurally different from Saudi’s 120-day entitlement at a graduated rate. Applying one country’s rules to another creates payroll errors and potential labour claims.

2. Not tracking cumulative days

All GCC states apply the sick leave entitlement annually and cumulatively. Employers who do not track cumulative days across illnesses may exceed the statutory limit or misclassify days into the wrong pay tier.

3. Missing the service threshold

Employees in their first three months (or one month in Bahrain) are not entitled to statutory sick leave. Allowing paid sick leave before the threshold creates a precedent that is difficult to reverse.

4. Rejecting valid certificates

All GCC states require a medical certificate from day one. Rejecting a certificate from a licensed practitioner because it came from a non-designated facility is not defensible. The employer can request a second opinion from a designated provider, but cannot simply refuse the certificate.

5. Confusing sick leave with annual leave

Sick leave and annual leave are separate entitlements. Forcing employees to use annual leave instead of sick leave when a medical certificate is presented is a breach of the Labour Law in all GCC states.

For more detail on individual countries, see our guides to sick leave in Oman and sick leave in Bahrain, and the overview of the main types of leave employers manage.

Frequently asked questions

Which GCC country has the longest sick leave?

The UAE provides the longest total entitlement at 90 days per year, though only the first 15 days are at full salary. Saudi Arabia provides 120 days total but at a graduated rate (full, then 75%, then unpaid).

Do any GCC countries provide government sickness benefits?

No. None of the GCC states provides a separate short-term sickness benefit through social insurance that replaces the employer’s graduated sick leave obligation.

What is the shortest sick leave entitlement in the GCC?

Qatar at 28 days per year (14 days full pay plus 14 days half pay). This is significantly shorter than the other five states.

Do all GCC states require a medical certificate from day one?

Yes. All six states require a licensed medical certificate for sick leave claims. There is no statutory self-certification period in any GCC country.

Can an employer terminate an employee during sick leave?

In most GCC states, termination during certified sick leave is restricted. The employer must wait until the statutory sick leave period has expired and the employee has been medically cleared, subject to end-of-service entitlements.

Putting it into practice

For multi-country GCC operations:

  1. Map each country’s sick leave entitlement separately — the range from 28 to 90 days means a one-size-fits-all policy will be wrong somewhere.
  2. Set country-specific pay tiers in your payroll system so the graduated scale applies automatically.
  3. Track cumulative sick days per employee per country to prevent overpayments and misclassification.
  4. Standardise certificate collection but accept that each country’s rules on timing and provider are different.
You can take advantage of the free 14 days trial and explore Leave Balance.

A leave management system configured for multi-country operations tracks each GCC state’s sick leave entitlement, applies the correct pay tier, and holds certificates against each absence — so your Gulf compliance is accurate regardless of where your team sits.

Sources

Last updated: 26 July 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Sick leave entitlements under GCC labour laws are subject to amendment and may be supplemented by collective agreements or company policy — confirm current terms with the relevant Ministry of Labour.