Saudi Arabia has quietly made one of its most important labour-market moves in years: turning the documented (authenticated) employment contract into a legally enforceable instrument — a “sanad tanfeedhi” (executive deed). In plain terms, the wage clause of a properly documented contract can now be enforced directly, without first filing and winning a full labour lawsuit. Here is exactly what the initiative is, how it works, and what it means in 2026.
What is the documented contract as an executive deed?
Launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, and aligned with Vision 2030, the initiative gives a documented employment contract the status of an executive deed. The goal is to protect the rights of both workers and employers, strengthen trust in the contractual relationship, and dramatically speed up the settlement of wage disputes by sending late-wage claims straight to enforcement.
What an “executive deed” actually means
Under Saudi enforcement law, an executive deed (sanad tanfeedhi) is a document that can be enforced directly through the enforcement system — without first obtaining a separate court judgment. By giving the documented contract this status, a worker who is not paid can move straight to enforcement against the employer, and an employer gains a clear, documented record as well. It removes a long, slow step from the process.
Which part of the contract is enforceable?
The clause covered is the wage clause, which includes:
- The basic wage.
- Housing allowance, where it exists.
- Transport allowance, where it exists.
- Total other cash allowances, where they exist.
Requirements to benefit from the initiative
For a contract to carry executive-deed status, two conditions must be met:
- There must be an employment contract documented on the Qiwa platform using the new executive-contract template.
- The contract must have an execution number issued through the Ministry of Justice’s documentation centre, applied automatically via the technical integration between the two ministries.
How a contract is documented as an executive deed
The process runs entirely through Qiwa:
- The establishment submits a request on Qiwa to document a new contract or update an existing one to the executive template.
- The request is sent to the worker, who can accept it, reject it, or propose an amendment.
- Once both parties approve, the contract becomes documented and automatically acquires executive status through the integration with the Ministry of Justice.
The three rollout phases
The new unified executive-contract template on Qiwa is being applied in three phases:
- Phase 1: new contracts (new contractual relationships), or when the terms of an existing contract are updated.
- Phase 2: fixed-term contracts — once they end and are renewed or extended, they move to the executive template.
- Phase 3: open-ended (unlimited-term) contracts.
When can a worker enforce unpaid wages?
If the employer does not pay, the worker can move to enforcement on these timelines:
- Full non-payment: the worker can enforce against the employer 30 days after the wage due date.
- Partial payment: the worker can enforce 90 days after the wage due date.
The enforcement request is filed through the Najiz platform of the Ministry of Justice, where the required details are submitted. Wage payment is verified electronically through the Wage Protection System (the Mudad platform), which records when and how much workers were paid. The employer is notified and given 5 days to object or pay through Najiz.
Does this apply to domestic workers?
This is the key point for families hiring help: the executive-deed initiative currently applies to employment contracts documented on Qiwa — the platform for establishment and company employees — not to domestic-worker contracts, which are authenticated through Musaned. So a maid, driver or nanny contract is not automatically an executive deed today.
That said, domestic workers in Saudi Arabia already have strong, separate wage protection: their contracts are authenticated through Musaned, and salaries are increasingly covered by the Musaned wage protection and e-salary mandate. The direction of travel is clear — Saudi Arabia is steadily making contracts more documented, more transparent and more enforceable across the board.
Why it matters
For employers and agencies, the message is simple: a properly documented, authenticated contract is no longer just paperwork — it is protection with legal teeth. Whether you are dealing with a Qiwa establishment contract or a Musaned domestic-worker contract, doing it the documented, compliant way is what keeps both sides safe. It is the same reform spirit behind Saudi’s push on contract verification and safe, licensed hiring. If you are hiring domestic help, always insist on an authenticated Musaned contract with clear, written wage terms.
This article is for general guidance, based on the HRSD guidance manual for the documented employment contract as an executive deed and announcements by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the Ministry of Justice. Procedures and phases can change — always confirm the current rules through the official Qiwa, Najiz, Mudad and Musaned channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a documented work contract as an executive deed?
It is a Saudi initiative by HRSD and the Ministry of Justice that gives a contract documented on Qiwa the status of an executive deed (sanad tanfeedhi), so its wage clause can be enforced directly without a separate lawsuit.
What does executive deed (sanad tanfeedhi) mean?
It is a document enforceable directly through the enforcement system, skipping the need to first win a court judgment. The worker can move straight to enforcement for unpaid wages.
Which clause of the contract is enforceable?
The wage clause — basic wage, housing allowance, transport allowance and total other cash allowances, where they exist.
What is needed for a contract to qualify?
The contract must be documented on Qiwa using the executive template and carry an execution number from the Ministry of Justice, applied automatically through integration between the two ministries.
When can a worker enforce unpaid wages?
After 30 days from the due date for full non-payment, or 90 days for partial payment. The request is filed on the Najiz platform, with payment verified through the Wage Protection System (Mudad).
Can the employer object?
Yes. The employer is notified through Najiz and has 5 days to object or pay.
Does this apply to domestic workers (maids, drivers, nannies)?
Not currently. The executive-deed initiative applies to Qiwa establishment contracts. Domestic-worker contracts are authenticated through Musaned and protected via the Musaned wage-protection mandate.
How is this different from contract verification?
Verification confirms a contract is genuine and registered. The executive-deed status goes further — it makes the documented contract directly enforceable for unpaid wages.
