What Is Basic Salary?
Basic salary is the fixed component of an employee's pay before any allowances, deductions, or overtime are added. In Saudi Arabia, it forms the foundation for calculating GOSI contributions, end of service gratuity, and overtime entitlements under Saudi Labour Law. Employers typically structure basic salary at around 60 to 70% of total compensation, with housing and transport allowances making up the remainder.
What Is an Allowance?
Allowances are additional payments made by employers to cover specific employee needs such as housing, transport, food, or education. In Saudi Arabia, the most common allowances are the housing allowance (typically 25% of basic) and the transport allowance (typically 10% of basic). Other allowances such as mobile, internet, fuel, education, and relocation are also common depending on the role and seniority.
What Is Overtime?
Overtime in Saudi Arabia is regulated under the Saudi Labour Law. The standard working week is 48 hours (40 hours during Ramadan). Overtime is paid at 1.5x the basic hourly rate for hours worked beyond the standard limit. During Ramadan, the working hours are reduced to six hours per day, and any work beyond this is considered overtime at the same rate.
What Are Deductions?
Deductions in Saudi Arabia include GOSI (General Organization for Social Insurance) contributions. For Saudi nationals, the employee contributes 10% of basic salary. For expatriates, there is no GOSI employee deduction expatriates are not enrolled in the pension scheme and do not pay GOSI on their salary. There is no personal income tax in Saudi Arabia for either nationals or expatriates.
What Is GOSI?
The General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) manages social insurance for employees in Saudi Arabia. Saudi nationals contribute 10% of their basic salary as employees, while employers contribute 9%. This covers retirement pension, disability, and related benefits. Expatriate employees are not enrolled in the pension branch but are covered for occupational hazards, for which the employer contributes 2% of their basic salary. Expatriates have no employee-side GOSI deduction.
How to Manage Payroll in the Saudi Arabia
Managing payroll in Saudi Arabia requires compliance with the Saudi Labour Law, GOSI regulations, and the Wage Protection System (WPS). Key aspects include:
- Adhering to Saudi Labour Law: Ensure compliance with overtime rules, leave entitlements, and end of service gratuity calculations.
- Using the Wage Protection System (WPS): All private sector employers are required to pay salaries electronically through the WPS. Non-compliance can result in penalties including suspension of government services.
- Tracking GOSI Contributions: Saudi nationals contribute 10% of basic salary (employee) and employers contribute 9%. For expatriates, the employer contributes 2% for occupational hazard coverage only.
- Saudization (Nitaqat): Employers must maintain a minimum percentage of Saudi national employees depending on their industry and company size. Failure to comply affects the company's ability to issue work visas and access government services.
How Much Tax Is Applied on Salary in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia does not levy personal income tax on salaries for either Saudi nationals or expatriates. This makes it one of the most tax efficient employment markets in the world alongside other GCC countries. The only mandatory employee deduction from salary is the GOSI contribution, which applies to Saudi nationals only at 10% of basic salary. Some costs to be aware of include:
- GOSI Contributions: Saudi nationals contribute 10% of basic salary. Expatriates have no employee-side deduction.
- Value-Added Tax (VAT): Saudi Arabia applies VAT at 15% on goods and services, but this is not a direct salary deduction.
- Expatriate Levy: Employers are subject to an expatriate levy per non-Saudi employee per month, which is an employer cost and not deducted from the employee's salary.
Minimum Wage in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has a statutory minimum wage for Saudi nationals in the private sector, set at SAR 4,000 per month as part of the Saudization program. This applies to Saudi nationals only. For expatriate employees, there is no statutory minimum wage salaries are agreed through the employment contract and benchmarked against market rates and the requirements of the work visa application.
Average Net Salary in Saudi Arabia
Average net salaries in Saudi Arabia vary significantly by industry, role, nationality, and city. For professional roles, monthly net salaries typically range between SAR 8,000 to SAR 25,000 after GOSI deductions (for Saudis) or with no deductions (for expatriates). Riyadh and Jeddah offer the highest compensation levels, particularly in oil and gas, banking, technology, and government-linked organisations. Expatriates in senior roles often receive additional benefits such as housing, relocation, and annual flight allowances on top of the base salary.