30 days per year
Annual leave is a paid statutory right for every private-sector employee in Kuwait. Article 70 of Labor Law No. 6 of 2010 entitles every employee to 30 days of paid annual leave.
The first-year rule: no leave before 9 months
An employee is not entitled to leave in their first year until they have completed at least 9 months of service. In practice: someone starting in January doesn’t reach the leave threshold until October of the same year. Once past 9 months, the employee is entitled to leave proportional to the actual time served, not just from the day the 9-month mark is crossed.
What doesn’t count against your leave balance
Official public holidays and documented sick leave that fall during an annual leave period are not deducted from the leave balance — a worker doesn’t "lose" a vacation day to a public holiday or illness that happens to fall within it.
Timing, splitting, and carry-over
The employer can set the leave dates according to business needs, but after the first 14 days, the remainder can be split with the employee’s consent. Employees can also carry over unused leave, capped at two years’ worth of leave combined. Article 71 requires that leave pay be paid in advance, before the leave period begins — employees don’t wait for the regular payroll cycle to receive it.
Calculate your own number
Use the free end-of-service calculator to apply these rules to your own salary and dates.
Common questions
- How many annual leave days does an employee get in Kuwait?
- 30 paid days per year. Source: Labor Law No. 6/2010, Article 70.
- Is a new employee entitled to leave in their first year?
- Not until they have completed at least 9 months of service with the employer. Source: Labor Law No. 6/2010, Article 70.
- Do public holidays and sick leave count against annual leave?
- No, official holidays and sick leave that fall during an annual leave period are not deducted from the balance. Source: Labor Law No. 6/2010, Article 70.
- Can annual leave be carried over to later years?
- Yes, an employee may carry over leave up to a combined two-year balance, and is entitled to leave pay before taking the leave. Source: Labor Law No. 6/2010, Articles 70 and 71.
Sources
- Kuwait Labor Law No. 6 of 2010, Article 70 — annual leave entitlement and first-year rule
- Kuwait Labor Law No. 6 of 2010, Article 71 — leave pay timing
This guide provides general information, not legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult the Public Authority for Manpower (PAM), the Ministry of Interior, or a licensed lawyer.