• In the application of the provisions of this Law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to them:

• 1 - Law: The unified law for extending social insurance protection to the citizens of the GCC countries working outside their countries in any member state of the Council.

• 2 - Council: The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

• 3 - Member States: The member countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

• 4 - Country of Employment: One of the Member States where the employee/worker subject to this Law is employed.

• 5 - Country of Origin of the Employee/Worker: One of the Member States whose nationality the employee/worker holds.

• 6 - Citizens of the Member States: Employees/workers who hold the nationality of one of the Member States and work outside their countries in any member state of the Council.

• 7 - Civil Retirement/Social Insurance Authorities: The relevant authorities in the Member States responsible for implementing the Civil Retirement/Social Insurance Law/System.

• 8 - Civil Retirement/Social Insurance Law/System:

  • A) The civil retirement laws/systems applicable in the Member States.

  • B) The social insurance laws/systems applicable in the Member States, including the system for insuring employees working abroad.

• 9 - Employee: Any citizen of the Member States working in one of the units of the state administrative apparatus and public authorities and agencies in one of the Member States to which the provisions of the Civil Service Law/System apply in the country of employment.

• 10 - Worker: Any citizen of the Member States working for a natural or legal employer in one of the Member States for a wage, and subject to the applicable Labor Law/System.

• 11 - Employer: Any natural or legal person employing one or more employees/workers subject to the provisions of this Law who falls under the following categories:

  • A) Units of the state administrative apparatus and public authorities and agencies subject to the provisions of the Civil Retirement Law/System.

  • B) Companies, establishments, and private sector agencies and other sectors subject to the provisions of the Labor Law/System.

In application of the provisions of this Law, the laws / regulations of civil retirement / social insurance in force in the Council countries shall apply to their citizens working in other Council countries.

The civil retirement / social insurance agencies in the Council countries are entrusted with the implementation of this law.

The provisions of this Law shall apply mandatorily to the citizens of the Council member states who work outside their countries in any member state of the Council, provided that the following conditions are met:
1 - The provisions and conditions stated in the Civil Retirement Law / Social Insurance Law of their country apply to them.
2 - They must be employed by an employer subject to the provisions of the Civil Retirement Law / Social Insurance Law in the country of employment.
3 - They must hold the nationality of one of the Council member states and provide the necessary documentation proving this.

The application of this Law is limited to the branch of retirement / old age, disability, illness, and death insurance, and this does not prevent the application of the branch of work injury and occupational disease insurance for the employee in accordance with the provisions in force in the country of employment.

The civil retirement / social insurance authorities in the employee's / worker's country of residence are obligated to the following:
1 - Prepare a guide regarding the provisions of the applicable law, including the rates of contributions due and the procedures to be taken for insuring the employee / worker in accordance with the law of the employee's / worker's country of residence, and disseminate it to the civil retirement / social insurance authorities in the Council countries.
2 - Provide the civil retirement / social insurance authorities in the Council countries with the insurance forms used by them, for the purposes of implementing this law.
3 - Open a bank account in the country of employment to enable employers and the civil retirement / social insurance authorities to deposit the amounts due to them in accordance with this law.
4 - Identify the entity or administrative unit responsible for monitoring the implementation of the provisions of this law with the entities or administrative units in the civil retirement / social insurance authorities in the Council countries.

The civil retirement / social insurance authorities in the state of employment are obligated to do the following:
1 - Take the procedures necessary to compel employers to apply the provisions of this law.
2 - Take the procedures necessary to educate employers about the provisions of this law and provide them with the evidence prepared by the civil retirement / social insurance authorities in the state of the employee and with the insurance forms used for the purposes of applying this law.
3 - Identify the entity or administrative unit responsible for monitoring the implementation of the requirements of this law with the entities or administrative units in the civil retirement / social insurance authorities in the Council countries.

The employee addressed by the provisions of this law shall be insured with the competent insurance authority - the Civil Retirement or Social Insurance agencies - in accordance with the procedures and forms approved in the Civil Retirement Law / Social Insurance Law in the country of the employee's residence.