Kuwait labour law annual leave is at least 30 working days a year on full pay (Article 70 of Private Sector Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, as replaced by Law No. 85 of 2017). It builds up at 2.5 days for every month you work, starting from your first month. You can take leave for your first year once you have completed six months with the employer, weekly rest days, official holidays and sick days that fall inside your leave do not count against it, and whatever you have not used is paid to you in cash when the contract ends (Article 73).
The same law gives a separate set of leaves that never come out of that balance: sick leave on a sliding pay scale, 70 days of maternity leave, 21 days for Hajj, three days of bereavement leave and iddah leave for a widow. The table further down lists every one with its pay and its article. Start with your own dates in the calculator below.
Kuwait Annual Leave Entitlement Calculator
Annual leave calculator
Based on Kuwait Private Sector Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, Article 70
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The calculator above is the same one on our Kuwait annual leave calculator page, where you can count your leave days again whenever your balance changes.
Kuwait labour law annual leave: what Article 70 says
Article 70 is short, and the version in force is not the one most English guides quote. In the official Arabic, as replaced by Law No. 85 of 2017, it reads:
«للعامل الحق في إجازة سنوية لا تقل عن ثلاثين يوم عمل مدفوعة الأجر، على أن يستحق العامل إجازة عن السنة الأولى بعد قضائه ستة أشهر على الأقل في خدمة صاحب العمل. ولا تحسب ضمن الإجازة السنوية أيام العطل الأسبوعية والعطل الرسمية وأيام الإجازات المرضية الواقعة خلالها ويستحق العامل إجازة عن كسور السنة بنسبة ما قضاه منها في العمل ولو كانت السنة الأولى من الخدمة.»
In plain terms, that gives you four rules:
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| At least 30 working days a year, on full pay | The 30 are a floor. Your contract can give more, never less |
| First-year leave after six months | You can take leave for your first year once you have six months with the employer |
| Rest days, holidays and sick days inside the leave don't count | A day off, an Eid holiday or a certified sick day during your leave is added back |
| Part-years count, even in the first year | Leave is earned month by month, so a part-year still has a balance |
Two things have changed since the text most people find online. The original 2010 article set the first-year threshold at nine months and said nothing about weekly rest days. The Public Authority for Manpower's English translation still prints that older wording, which is why so many guides repeat it. And a 2019 bill to raise annual leave to 35 days was approved in committee, but Article 70 in force still says thirty working days. Treat any page quoting 35 days as describing a proposal, not the law.
Your first year: leave builds from month one, and can be taken from month six
The six-month rule is about when you can take first-year leave. It is not a rule about whether you earn it. The last sentence of Article 70 gives leave for part of a year in proportion to the time worked "even if it is the first year of service", and Article 73 pays accumulated leave in cash when the contract ends. Read together, leave accrues from your first month.
| Completed service | Leave accrued | Can you take it yet? |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months | 7.5 days | Not yet; paid in cash if the contract ends first |
| 6 months | 15 days | Yes |
| 7 months | 17.5 days | Yes |
| 1 year | 30 days | Yes |
| 2 years | 60 days | Yes, and you may hold up to two years' leave |
Every figure comes from the calculator above at 2.5 days a month. Some employers still apply the old nine-month rule, or pay nothing for a contract that ends before six months. If yours does, point them to the current Article 70 and to Article 73.
Taking, splitting and carrying forward leave (Articles 71 and 72)
Leave pay comes first. Article 71 requires your wage for the leave to be paid before you go.
The employer sets the dates. Under Article 72 the employer decides when you take annual leave. It may split the leave only with your consent, and only after you have had the first 14 days in one block.
You can carry leave forward, up to a limit. Article 72 lets you accumulate up to two years' leave and take it in one go with the employer's agreement. You can hold more than two years only if both of you agree. Kuwait's law has no "use it or lose it" rule within those limits: leave you are owed does not expire at the end of the year.
Unused leave when you leave: Article 73 and the 26-day month
Article 73 is the cash-out rule: when the contract ends you are entitled to a cash payment for your accumulated annual leave days. Two details decide the amount.
The wage is your full wage. Article 55 defines the wage broadly, including the allowances and other cash benefits you receive regularly, not just the basic salary.
The daily wage is the monthly wage divided by 26, not 30. Article 67 says a worker's dues, "including his daily wage and leaves", are worked out by dividing the salary by the actual working days, leaving out the paid weekly rest days. That leaves about 26 working days a month. Most guides divide by 30 and understate the payout by about 15%.
| Two years' unused leave on a KWD 900 wage | Daily wage | 60 days are worth |
|---|---|---|
| Correct: ÷ 26 (Article 67) | KWD 34.62 | KWD 2,076.92 |
| Common mistake: ÷ 30 | KWD 30.00 | KWD 1,800.00 |
The difference is KWD 276.92 on one employee. A shorter case: someone who leaves after eight months on a KWD 600 wage, having taken no leave, is owed 20 days, which is KWD 461.54. The Kuwait leave salary calculator works out leave salary at ÷26 for your own dates and wage.
No selling leave, and no second job during it (Article 74)
Article 74 says you cannot give up your annual leave, whether for money or for nothing. It is a right, not a bonus to trade. The only time leave turns into cash is the Article 73 payout when the contract ends.
The same article protects the employer: if it is proved that you worked for another employer during your annual leave, your employer can recover the pay it gave you for that leave.
Every type of leave in Kuwait's private-sector law
| Leave | Length | Pay | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | At least 30 working days a year | Full pay, before the leave | Arts. 70 to 73 |
| Sick leave | Up to 75 days a year | 15 full, 10 at ¾, 10 at ½, 10 at ¼, 30 unpaid | Art. 69 |
| Maternity leave | 70 days, if the birth falls within them | Full pay | Art. 24 |
| Childcare leave after maternity | Up to 4 months, on request | Unpaid, at the employer's discretion | Art. 24 |
| Nursing breaks | 2 hours a day | Paid working time | Art. 25 |
| Hajj leave | 21 days, once, after 2 continuous years | Full pay | Art. 76 |
| Bereavement leave | 3 days, for a first- or second-degree relative | Full pay | Art. 77 |
| Iddah leave (widow) | 4 months and 10 days (Muslim); 21 days (non-Muslim) | Full pay | Art. 77 |
| Study leave | By agreement | Paid, if granted; you then owe equal service, up to 5 years | Art. 75 |
None of these comes out of your annual leave. Maternity leave is expressly "not counted from her other leave", and sick days that fall inside annual leave are added back under Article 70.
Sick leave pay in Kuwait (Article 69), worked out
Article 69 gives a yearly ladder: the first 15 days on full pay, then 10 days at three-quarters, 10 at half, 10 at a quarter, and 30 days without pay. On a KWD 600 wage, valuing each sick day at the Article 67 daily wage (600 ÷ 26 = KWD 23.08), the ladder pays:
| Sick days in the year | Pay per day | Pay for the band |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 15 | KWD 23.08 (full) | KWD 346.15 |
| Days 16 to 25 | KWD 17.31 (¾) | KWD 173.08 |
| Days 26 to 35 | KWD 11.54 (½) | KWD 115.38 |
| Days 36 to 45 | KWD 5.77 (¼) | KWD 57.69 |
| Days 46 to 75 | Unpaid | KWD 0 |
So 45 sick days in a year are paid KWD 692.31 in total, against KWD 1,038.46 if all 45 were on full pay. The sickness has to be proved by a certificate from the doctor the employer names or from a government health unit, and if the two disagree, the government doctor's certificate wins. Incurable illnesses are exempted from these limits by a ministerial decision that lists them.
If an illness uses up the whole sick-leave entitlement, Article 49 says the contract ends. That ending pays the full indemnity under Article 52, not the reduced resignation amount.
Maternity, nursing, Hajj and bereavement leave
Maternity (Article 24). A pregnant worker is entitled to 70 days of paid leave for the birth, provided the birth falls within those 70 days. The employer may then grant up to four months of unpaid leave for childcare at her request. The employer cannot end her contract during that leave, or during an absence caused by an illness certified as resulting from the pregnancy or birth.
Nursing (Article 25). A working mother is entitled to two nursing hours a day during work, on conditions set by ministerial decision. An employer with more than 50 women or more than 200 workers at a site must provide a nursery for children under four.
Hajj (Article 76). After two continuous years with the same employer you are entitled to 21 days of paid leave to perform Hajj, once, provided you have not performed it before.
Bereavement (Article 77). Three days on full pay for the death of a first- or second-degree relative. A Muslim woman whose husband dies is entitled to iddah leave of four months and ten days on full pay from the date of death, and must not work for anyone else during it. A non-Muslim widow is entitled to 21 days on full pay.
Protection while you are on leave (Article 45)
An employer cannot use its Article 44 right to end an open-ended contract while you are on any leave the law provides for: annual, sick, maternity, Hajj or bereavement. Our termination guide covers the rule of no termination during leave alongside notice, dismissal and the cases where you can leave without notice.
Common mistakes with Kuwait annual leave
- Quoting nine months for first-year leave. That was the 2010 text. Since Law No. 85 of 2017 it is six months, and leave accrues from the first month.
- Dividing by 30 when cashing out leave. Article 67 names leaves; the daily wage is the monthly wage ÷ 26.
- Letting holidays eat into leave. Weekly rest days, Eid and other official holidays, and certified sick days inside your leave are added back.
- Believing leave expires at year-end. You can carry up to two years forward, and more by agreement.
- Accepting cash instead of leave during employment. Article 74 forbids giving leave up for money; the cash payout is for the end of the contract.
- Relying on the 35-day figure. It was a 2019 proposal. Article 70 in force says 30 working days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days of annual leave do you get under Kuwait labour law?
At least 30 working days a year on full pay, under Article 70 of Law No. 6 of 2010 as replaced by Law No. 85 of 2017. Weekly rest days, official holidays and sick days that fall inside the leave are not counted, and your contract can give more.
When can I take annual leave in my first year in Kuwait?
After six months with the employer. Leave accrues from your first month at 2.5 days a month, so you have 15 days by month six. The older nine-month rule was replaced in 2017.
Is unused annual leave paid when I leave my job in Kuwait?
Yes. Article 73 gives you cash for your accumulated annual leave when the contract ends, on your full wage divided by 26 working days. Sixty unused days on a KWD 900 wage are worth KWD 2,076.92.
Can I carry forward annual leave in Kuwait?
Yes, up to two years' leave, which you can take in one go with your employer's agreement (Article 72). Carrying more than two years needs both of you to agree.
Can my employer split my annual leave?
Only with your consent, and only after the first 14 days of the leave. Article 72 lets the employer set the dates, but the first 14 days are taken together.
Do public holidays count as annual leave in Kuwait?
No. Article 70 says official holidays, weekly rest days and sick days that fall during your annual leave are not counted as part of it.
How much sick leave do you get in Kuwait?
Under Article 69: 15 days on full pay, then 10 days at three-quarters, 10 at half, 10 at a quarter, and 30 days unpaid, each year. A medical certificate is required.
How long is maternity leave in the Kuwait private sector?
Seventy days on full pay, provided the birth falls within them, not taken from other leave (Article 24). The employer may add up to four months of unpaid childcare leave on request, and cannot end the contract during the leave.
Count your leave, then price it
Use the Kuwait annual leave calculator to count your days and the leave salary calculator to put a number on them. If your job is ending, leave is only one line of what you are owed: your final settlement adds the indemnity, notice pay and unpaid salary, and the Kuwait indemnity calculator works out the indemnity on its own.
The articles cited here can be checked in Private Sector Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, the Public Authority for Manpower's English translation. That translation predates Law No. 85 of 2017, so for Article 70 rely on the current Arabic text quoted above. This guide is an estimate for orientation, not legal advice.