If you need to end a domestic worker’s contract in Saudi Arabia, the right route depends on the reason for ending the relationship. Official Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) guidance confirms the legal cases in which a domestic employment contract ends, the rights that must be settled, and a specific Musaned service for cases of work interruption.
This guide distinguishes those verified rules from unsupported assumptions. The official sources reviewed do not set out a universal “Cancel Contract” button path, a standard document-upload list, or a single notice period for every situation. Check the contract itself and the current official guidance before taking action.
When a domestic employment contract can end
Under HRSD guidance, a domestic employment contract may end when its term expires; when both parties agree in writing; upon the death of either party or the worker’s inability to work supported by an approved medical certificate; loss of legal capacity supported by an approved medical report; force majeure; or when the worker reaches 60 years of age unless the parties agree otherwise. HRSD: Contract Termination
Written consent matters in a mutual termination
For termination by mutual agreement, HRSD expressly requires the domestic worker’s consent to be in writing. A verbal understanding alone should not be treated as the documented basis for ending the contract. وزارة الموارد البشرية: انتهاء العقد
Review the contract before choosing a route
Domestic employment contracts are fixed-term contracts and must address, among other matters, the work, wage and payment method, probation period, contract duration, extension, and termination. The Arabic text is the authoritative contract text, with a translation into a language understood by the domestic worker in their country. وزارة الموارد البشرية: عقود العمالة المنزلية
Key checks before ending the relationship
- Termination basis: Identify whether the case is expiry, written mutual agreement, a documented medical or legal-capacity event, force majeure, work interruption, or another contractual issue.
- Written records: Keep the written mutual agreement where that is the basis, and retain any approved medical documentation where relevant.
- Contract terms: Check the clause on duration, extension, termination, and any agreed compensation for termination without a legitimate reason.
- Outstanding rights: Calculate unpaid wages and other contractual or statutory entitlements before closing the relationship.
- Correct official channel: Use Musaned only for the applicable service or transaction shown in your account; do not assume every reason follows the same online workflow.
Official decision sequence for Musaned and contract ending
- Read the verified contract and identify the reason for ending the relationship.
- If both parties agree, obtain the domestic worker’s written consent.
- If the worker has interrupted work, use the Musaned service specifically identified by HRSD as “contract termination due to work interruption,” subject to its controls.
- Settle wages and rights within the applicable official time limit.
- Recheck the worker’s status and the available official options in Musaned, particularly where work interruption is involved.
Stage 1: Confirm whether this is a work-interruption case
HRSD states that the Musaned work-interruption service enables individual employers to end the contractual relationship lawfully when a domestic worker has interrupted work. It also includes a labour-mobility service. This is a specific route, not evidence of a general cancellation workflow for all contract-ending reasons. HRSD: Work Interruption Service
Stage 2: Apply the work-interruption status rules carefully
Where a contract is ended because of work interruption during the first two years after the worker’s entry into Saudi Arabia, HRSD states that final exit must take place within 60 days. After two years, the worker must either take final exit or transfer to a new employer within 60 days from the interruption date. These rules are specific to this work-interruption context. HRSD: Work Interruption Service
Stage 3: Complete settlement on time
When the worker’s service ends, the employer must pay wages and settle entitlements within no more than one week from the contract’s end. If the domestic worker ends the contract, the employer must settle the rights in no more than two weeks. The regulation also permits deduction of a work-related debt from amounts due to the worker. HRSD Regulation for Domestic Workers and Those in Similar Positions, Article 23
Practical verification note: Do not select a termination reason, withhold an entitlement, or rely on an assumed notice period simply because it appeared in a template or informal guide. Match the reason to the contract and the current HRSD/Musaned route, and retain the written evidence that supports it.
Rights, compensation, and probation considerations
Both parties may unilaterally terminate the domestic employment contract during a written probation period of no more than 90 days. The official source reviewed does not state that this removes all financial or contractual consequences, so the contract and applicable rules should still be checked. HRSD Regulation, Article 9
- End-of-service award: On expiry of the domestic employment contract, the worker is entitled to one month’s wage for every four consecutive years with the employer, calculated using the last wage received. HRSD Regulation, Article 22
- Compensation for an illegitimate reason: Unless the contract specifies compensation, the other party is entitled to compensation equal to two months’ wages when one party ends the contract for an illegitimate reason. HRSD Regulation, Article 25
- Employer-side exceptions: HRSD lists circumstances in which an employer may end the contract without end-of-service award or compensation, including certain fundamental breaches, refusal to work after a written warning, and work interruption subject to Ministry controls. وزارة الموارد البشرية: التعويضات
- Worker-side rights: HRSD lists circumstances in which a domestic worker may end the contract while retaining statutory rights, including a fundamental employer breach, deception at contracting, violence or improper conduct, dangerous tasks, or renting out the worker’s services. وزارة الموارد البشرية: التعويضات
Contract-ending routes at a glance
| Route or issue | What official guidance confirms | Key check |
|---|---|---|
| Expiry of term | The contract ends when its term expires. | Review the fixed term and the end-of-service and settlement rules. |
| Mutual agreement | The domestic worker’s consent must be in writing. | Keep the written consent and settle rights. |
| Probation | Either party may terminate unilaterally during a written probation period of up to 90 days. | Check the written probation clause and remaining obligations. |
| Work interruption | Musaned provides a specific HRSD route for termination due to work interruption and labour mobility. | Follow the applicable status and 60-day rules for that route. |
Conclusion: use the route that matches the facts
Ending a domestic worker contract is not one identical Musaned procedure for every situation. Start with the contract and the legal basis, secure written consent where applicable, settle rights within the relevant deadline, and use the work-interruption service only when its conditions apply. Before submitting any request, recheck the current guidance on the HRSD website and in your Musaned account.