Nagbabalak ka bang mag-resign sa trabaho mo sa Saudi Arabia?
Huwag munang basta mag-submit ng resignation sa HR o pumili ng termination reason sa Qiwa.
Ang resignation ay hindi lang simpleng paggawa ng resignation letter. Maaari nitong maapektuhan ang iyong contract, notice period, EOSB, transfer, final settlement at plano mong umalis o lumipat ng employer.
Bago ka gumawa ng anumang action, gamitin itong 21-point checklist.
21 Things to Check Before You Resign From Your Employer in Saudi Arabia
1. Check Your Qiwa Contract First
Buksan muna ang iyong Qiwa Individual account at tingnan ang current employment contract.
I-check ang:
- Contract status
- Start date
- End date
- Contract type
- Renewal terms
- Notice period
- Job title
- Salary
- Special termination or compensation clauses
Huwag umasa lang sa sinabi ng supervisor, agency o HR. Kailangan alam mo kung ano mismo ang nakalagay sa iyong employment record.
2. Know Whether Your Contract Is Fixed-Term or Indefinite
Napakahalaga nito.
Magkaiba ang rules at possible consequences depende kung ang contract mo ay:
Fixed-term — may specific contract end date.
Indefinite — walang fixed end date at nagpapatuloy hanggang legally terminated ng isang party.
Sa indefinite contracts, may specific statutory notice rules under Saudi Labor Law.
Sa fixed-term contracts, resignation before the agreed contract end date needs more careful checking because early termination may involve contractual or legal compensation depending on the circumstances.
3. Check Your Actual Contract End Date
Kung malapit nang matapos ang contract mo, tanungin muna ang sarili:
Kailangan ko ba talagang mag-resign?
Baka ang tamang process sa situation mo ay non-renewal or termination upon contract expiry, hindi resignation.
Magkaiba ang contract expiry at resignation.
Huwag piliin ang resignation dahil lang iyon ang unang available option na nakita mo.
4. Read the Renewal Clause
May contracts na automatically renewed kapag walang timely notice from either party.
Check:
- Automatic ba ang renewal?
- Ilang days ang required notice?
- Kailan ang deadline?
- May Qiwa action bang kailangan?
Kung ang tunay mong goal ay tapusin lang ang contract at huwag nang mag-renew, planuhin ito bago lumampas ang required notice period.
5. Check Your Notice Period
Kung indefinite ang contract mo at monthly-paid ka, Article 75 currently requires at least 30 days' written notice when the employee initiates termination.
Pero importante rin na basahin ang mismong contract dahil maaaring may agreed contractual notice arrangement na kailangan ding suriin.
Huwag basta tumigil sa trabaho dahil lamang nakapag-send ka na ng resignation letter.
6. Understand Article 79 Bis Before Resigning
Under Article 79 Bis, a resignation request can be considered accepted after 30 days without an employer response.
The employer may postpone acceptance for up to 60 additional days when work interests require it, but there must be a written explanation and the postponement must be made within the initial 30-day period.
The worker may also withdraw the resignation within 7 days from submission, provided the employer has not already accepted it.
Habang pending ang resignation request, active pa rin ang employment contract at patuloy pa rin ang obligations ng parehong worker at employer.
7. Don't Put a Fake Termination Reason
Huwag pumili ng Qiwa termination reason dahil lamang iyon ang available o pinakamadaling option.
Examples:
- Resignation
- Contract expiry
- Mutual agreement
- Probation termination
- Other legal grounds
Dapat tugma ang reason sa tunay mong situation.
Ang maling termination reason ay maaaring maging problema later kapag pinag-usapan na ang EOSB, compensation, transfer o employment records.
8. Check Whether You're Still Under Probation
Kung nasa probation period ka pa, tingnan ang exact probation provision sa contract.
Probation termination is not the same as an ordinary resignation after years of service.
Huwag gumamit ng probation-related reason kung tapos ka na talaga sa probation.
9. Check for Early-Termination Compensation
Ito ang madalas nami-miss ng workers na may fixed-term contract.
Kung may remaining months pa ang fixed-term contract at aalis ka before its expiry, check whether the contract contains a compensation clause.
Saudi Labor Law Article 77 also contains compensation rules for unlawful termination when the contract does not already specify compensation.
Kaya huwag isipin na:
“Nag-resign ako, automatic wala na akong obligation.”
Check the contract first.
10. Decide Whether Your Goal Is Resignation, Transfer or Final Exit
Tatlong magkaibang goal ito:
Resignation — gusto mong tapusin ang employment relationship.
Transfer — gusto mong lumipat sa ibang Saudi employer.
Final exit — gusto mong matapos ang employment at umalis ng Saudi Arabia.
Magkakaugnay sila, pero hindi sila iisang process.
Linawin muna kung ano talaga ang end goal mo bago gumawa ng Qiwa action.
11. If You Have a New Employer, Review the New Qiwa Offer Carefully
Huwag agad mag-Accept dahil mataas ang salary.
Check:
- Basic salary
- Allowances
- Job title
- Profession
- Work location
- Working hours
- Contract duration
- Probation
- Notice period
- Benefits
- Renewal clause
Ang bagong Qiwa offer ay magiging bagong legal employment commitment.
Basahin muna bago mag-Accept.
12. Don't Assume a New Offer Automatically Cancels Your Current Obligations
The HRSD employee-transfer process allows a new employer to send a job offer through Qiwa, which the worker can accept or reject. The existing employer is notified and the system verifies applicable requirements.
Pero hindi ibig sabihin na dahil may bagong offer ka na ay puwede mo nang basta iwan ang current employer.
Your existing contract, termination status and applicable Qiwa transfer process still matter.
13. Check Your Iqama and Work Permit Status
Bago mag-transition, check:
- Iqama validity
- Work permit validity
- Qiwa employment status
- Current employer information
Expired documents can create a different legal or transfer situation.
Take screenshots showing the current status.
14. Calculate Your EOSB Before Resigning
Don't wait for HR to tell you how much you will receive.
Saudi Labor Law Article 84 provides the general EOSB calculation, while Article 85 specifically affects EOSB when the employment relationship ends through resignation.
Generally under Article 85:
- Less than 2 years: no resignation EOSB under this provision
- 2 to 5 years: 1/3 of the benefit
- More than 5 but less than 10 years: 2/3
- 10 years or more: full EOSB
Parts of a year are also relevant in calculating the underlying benefit.
Use the PinoyTalks EOSB Calculator before submitting your resignation so you have an estimate.
15. Check Your Unused Leave Balance
EOSB isn't your only possible final entitlement.
Check whether you still have:
- Annual leave balance
- Earned leave
- Other contractual entitlements
Save your leave records before losing access to the company system.
16. List Any Unpaid Salary or Overtime
Make your own record.
Write down:
- Unpaid salary
- Delayed salary
- Overtime
- Allowances
- Commissions
- Reimbursements
- Other amounts still due
Keep payslips and bank-transfer records.
Don't rely entirely on the company's final computation.
17. Check Possible Deductions or Company Claims
Before assuming your final settlement amount, check whether there are documented deductions such as:
- Salary advances
- Employee loans
- Company property not returned
- Work-related debts
- Other lawful deductions
Ask for a clear computation if there are deductions you don't understand.
18. Download Your Employment Documents
Before your account access changes, save important records.
At minimum:
- Qiwa contract
- Employment Certificate / COE
- Contract amendments
- Salary records
- Leave records
- Resignation letter
- HR emails
- Employer responses
- Qiwa screenshots
- New job offer if transferring
Create your own copy outside the company email or company phone.
19. Keep Proof of Your Resignation
Verbal resignation is weak evidence.
Keep proof showing:
- Date submitted
- Recipient
- Copy of resignation
- Email acknowledgment
- HR response
- Qiwa status
- Any written postponement or approval
Screenshots matter.
20. Check Your Final Settlement
When the worker ends the employment relationship, Saudi Labor Law Article 88 requires the employer to settle the worker's entitlements within a maximum of two weeks after the employment relationship ends.
Your final settlement may involve several components depending on your situation, including salary, EOSB, unused leave and other contractual entitlements.
Review the breakdown carefully.
21. Don't Press Anything in Qiwa Until You Understand the Consequence
This may be the most important item.
Before clicking:
Terminate Contract
or
Accept Offer
or selecting any termination reason, ask:
What happens after I press this?
Know:
- What happens to the current contract?
- What is the effective termination date?
- Is there a notice period?
- Does this affect EOSB?
- Is there possible compensation?
- Are you transferring or leaving Saudi?
- What does Qiwa currently show?
A five-minute contract review can prevent months of problems.
Quick Resignation Checklist
Before resigning, make sure you know:
- [ ] Contract type
- [ ] Contract end date
- [ ] Renewal clause
- [ ] Notice period
- [ ] Correct termination reason
- [ ] Remaining contract period
- [ ] Compensation clause
- [ ] Probation status
- [ ] EOSB estimate
- [ ] Leave balance
- [ ] Unpaid salary
- [ ] Overtime
- [ ] Possible deductions
- [ ] Iqama status
- [ ] Work permit status
- [ ] Qiwa status
- [ ] New Qiwa offer details
- [ ] Transfer plan
- [ ] Final-exit plan
- [ ] Employment documents
- [ ] Written evidence
Download the FREE 21 OFW CHECKLIST GUIDE here
Bottom Line
Resigning in Saudi Arabia should not start with a resignation letter.
It should start with your Qiwa contract.
Know what contract you have, when it ends, what notice applies, whether there may be compensation, how your EOSB could be affected, and whether your real plan is resignation, transfer or final exit.
Check first. Calculate first. Save your records first. Then act.
Useful PinoyTalks Guides and Tools
Continue with:
How Notice Period Works in Qiwa
How to Terminate a Contract in Qiwa
PinoyTalks EOSB Calculator
Saudi OFW Qiwa, Transfer and Resignation FAQ
Disclaimer
This guide is for general educational information for private-sector workers in Saudi Arabia. Actual outcomes can depend on the worker's contract, Qiwa status, employment circumstances and applicable Saudi regulations. For an individual dispute or case, verify the current official information through Qiwa/HRSD or seek qualified assistance.
References:
HRSD's Labor Relations page covering Articles 74–88 and the current employee-transfer service. HRSD Labor Relations HRSD Employee Transfer Service
