Annual Leave in Egypt (Law 14/2025): How Many Days + a Leave Policy Template
If your leave sheet says "21 days" for everyone, it is out of date. Under Egypt's Labour Law No. 14 of 2025, what an employee gets depends on how long they have worked for you and how old they are.
Short answer: paid annual leave is 15 days in the first year of service, 21 days from the second year, and 30 days once the employee has 10 years of service or turns 50, whichever comes first.
Below you will find the three tiers, some worked examples, six mistakes to avoid and a policy template you can paste into your handbook. This is a practical guide, not legal advice. Check anything legal with your lawyer against the latest official text.
Two rules people get wrong
It is "or", not "and". Someone who is 52 and joined this year gets 30 days straight away. You do not wait for 10 years.
Track both dates. Keep the hire date and the date of birth on the employee record. If you only store one, the other tier change is invisible to you.
Public holidays are separate days off. They do not use up annual leave. See the 2026 public holiday calendar.
Worked examples
Test your own sheet or system against these.
| Employee | Annual leave | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hired in March 2026, aged 52 | 30 days | The age-50 rule applies immediately |
| Aged 26, in the second year of service | 21 days | Second tier |
| Aged 34, hired this year | 15 days, then 21 | 21 days starts in the second year |
| Aged 44, 9 years 11 months of service | 21 days today | Becomes 30 days on the day they finish 10 years |
The pattern: the tier changes on a date, either the work anniversary or the 50th birthday. A system that only checks once a year will get these wrong.
Six leave mistakes we see a lot
Each one is easy to fix.
One flat number for everyone
The entitlement depends on service and age. Use the three tiers.
Reading 30 days as 'and'
It is 10 years of service or age 50. Either one is enough.
No birth dates on file
Without them the age tier cannot be seen. Add them to the record.
One balance for every kind of leave
Keep annual, sick and casual leave on separate ledgers.
Approving leave in chat
If it is not on the employee record, payroll cannot see it.
Forgetting the holiday calendar
Holidays are separate from annual leave, and some dates move each year.
Who does what
Put a name next to every step. 'Management approves' with no name is how requests sit for two weeks.
Employee
Asks for dates and sees their balance.
Manager
Checks team cover, approves or declines.
HR
Confirms the balance and any clash with a public holiday.
Payroll
Reads the approved leave. Unpaid days reduce that month's pay.
Leave policy template (copy and edit)
A good policy covers nine things: annual leave, how to ask, who approves, carry-over, sick leave, casual leave, other leave, public holidays and records. Replace the text in [brackets] with your own rules. Where the law or your contract sets the number, check it before you fill it in.
[Company name] Leave Policy, effective [date]
1. Annual leave. Employees receive paid annual leave of 15 days in their first year of service, 21 days from their second year, and 30 days after 10 years of service or at age 50, whichever comes first.
2. Asking for leave. Send the request in [system or form] at least [number] days before the first day. Your manager replies within [number] working days.
3. Approval. [Manager] approves, and HR confirms the balance. Leave is not final until it shows as approved.
4. Carry-over. Unused annual leave [does / does not] carry over. Cut-off: [date]. Maximum carried: [number, confirm with your lawyer].
5. Sick leave. Days and medical-certificate rules follow [contract / current law, confirm]. Tell your manager by [time] on the first day.
6. Casual leave. [Number of days per year, if your company offers it.]
7. Other leave. Maternity, Hajj, study and unpaid leave follow [current law / contract, confirm].
8. Public holidays. Official holidays announced by the Egyptian Cabinet are paid days off. A holiday on a rest day is treated as [policy].
9. Records. HR keeps each employee's balance and approved leave on their record.
Leave and payroll
Leave touches pay in two ways. Unpaid leave reduces that month's pay, and paid leave still has to show correctly on the payslip. The value of a leave day depends on gross salary, income tax and social insurance. To check a day's value against take-home pay, use the Egypt salary calculator. For the wider legal picture, read the Egypt Labour Law 2025 employer guide.
In The Five HR, leave requests, approvals and balances sit on the employee record, and approved days flow into Egyptian payroll in the same workspace.
Egypt leave policy: quick answers
How many days of annual leave do employees get in Egypt?
Under Law 14 of 2025: 15 days in the first year of service, 21 days from the second year, and 30 days after 10 years of service or at age 50, whichever comes first.
Does a new employee aged 50 or over get 30 days?
Yes. The 30-day tier applies on either 10 years of service or reaching age 50, so an employee who is 50 or over qualifies in their first year.
When does an employee move from 21 to 30 days?
On the date they complete 10 years of service or turn 50, whichever comes first. Make your system check both the work anniversary and the birthday.
Do public holidays use up annual leave?
No. Public holidays are separate days off announced by the Egyptian Cabinet. They do not reduce the annual-leave balance.
Should sick leave and annual leave share one balance?
No. Keep separate ledgers. Sick leave follows your contract and current law, not the annual-leave table.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a practical guide. Confirm any legal or payroll decision with your lawyer or accountant against the latest official text.
Let the system track the balances
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