In February 2025, The Ministry of HR and Social Development (MHRSD) published the Implementing Regulations to the Labour Law, which includes a specific obligation for all employers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to update their Internal Work Regulations (IWR) in line with the newly introduced standard form.
In accordance with Articles 12 and 13 of the Labour Law, as well as Articles 3 and 4 of the Implementing Regulations, each employer is required to adopt the new draft IWR issued by the Ministry. The following is an overview of the key amendments.
Key changes to Internal Work Regulations
The new draft introduces various changes, including new clauses and amendments to existing ones.
From our recent experience engaging with the MHRSD, we understand that, at a minimum, the Ministry currently requires the inclusion of the following five clauses:
- Clause 24 – Housing and transportation allowance
- Clause 40 – Bereavement leave of 3 days for the death of a sibling.
- Clause 42 – Paid leave for employees undergoing haemodialysis
- Clause 50 – Amendments to maternity leave entitlements
- Clause 70 – Introduction of a new grievance mechanism
However, we expect the MHRSD to begin requiring full compliance with all newly introduced provisions soon, including the updated leave entitlements (Clauses 34–38) and termination-related provisions (e.g., Clause 57).
This may also be a good opportunity to review your IWR to ensure it reflects any additional policies or internal practices your organisation may wish to formally adopt.
How we can support
Only law firms registered with the MHRSD are authorised to review and approve IWRs via the Qiwa platform. Clyde & Co is one of the registered firms and can assist organisations with this process. To schedule a call or discuss the changes in more detail and assist with reviewing and uploading the updated IWR to Qiwa reach out to Jassar Aljohani.
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