What is GOSI?
GOSI (the General Organization for Social Insurance) is the Saudi government authority responsible for the Kingdom's mandatory social insurance system. It registers employers and workers, collects regular contributions, and administers benefits including retirement pensions, occupational hazard compensation, and disability payments. Understanding GOSI is important for every private-sector worker in Saudi Arabia, because both employer registration and contribution compliance affect labor rights and employment records.
What GOSI handles
GOSI administers two main insurance branches relevant to private-sector workers:
- Annuity branch (pension): this covers retirement, disability, and death benefits. For Saudi national employees, the annuity branch provides the primary pension entitlement. For expatriate workers, coverage under this branch is more limited and depends on applicable regulations and any bilateral social security agreements between Saudi Arabia and the worker's home country.
- Occupational hazard branch: this branch covers work-related injuries, occupational diseases, and work-related death. Expatriate private-sector workers are generally enrolled in the occupational hazard branch, which means they are entitled to treatment costs and compensation if they are injured at work or develop an occupational illness.
GOSI also maintains employment and contribution records that can be used to verify salary history, employment continuity, and end-of-service entitlements.
How to check your GOSI record
- Visit gosi.gov.sa and log in using your Absher or Nafath credentials.
- Navigate to the subscriber services or individual inquiry section.
- View your contribution history, enrolled employer details, and benefit entitlements.
- If there are gaps in contributions or your employer details are incorrect, raise the issue with your employer first, then contact GOSI directly if the employer does not resolve it.
- For occupational hazard claims, a work injury must be reported by your employer to GOSI within the required timeframe. Confirm the reporting deadlines and claim process on the portal.
What expats need to know about GOSI
Expatriate workers in the private sector are typically enrolled in the occupational hazard branch by their employer. This is the employer's legal obligation, not optional. If you are injured at work and your employer has not registered you with GOSI, you may still have entitlements, but the process for claiming them becomes more complex. Keep a record of your GOSI enrollment number and check periodically that your employer is making contributions correctly.
GOSI records can also serve as proof of employment and salary history, which can be valuable when applying for a bank loan, a new job, or when calculating your end-of-service gratuity entitlement. Note that end-of-service gratuity (EOSG) is a separate entitlement under the Labor Law and is not paid through GOSI; it is the employer's direct obligation when the employment relationship ends.
Contribution rates and benefit conditions are set by regulation and can change. Confirm the current figures and your entitlements directly through gosi.gov.sa. Some home countries have bilateral social security agreements with Saudi Arabia that can affect how contributions and entitlements are treated for nationals of those countries; it is worth checking whether such an agreement exists for your nationality.