Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 1.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 1.6% for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 3.7% on the previous year and up 33.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 3.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2016.
That places United Arab Emirates 173rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.6% | — |
| 1992 | 1.6% | +5.6% |
| 1993 | 1.8% | +11.6% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 1.7% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | +9.0% |
| 1999 | 2.1% | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 2.3% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 2.1% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -9.8% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | -13.0% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | -11.0% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | -7.8% |
| 2015 | 1.2% | -13.5% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | -11.5% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | +21.9% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | +8.0% |
| 2020 | 3.8% | +174.9% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | -43.0% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | -30.3% |
| 2023 | 1.5% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 1.5% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 1.6% | +3.7% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 1.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 32% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 1.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 8.5%, 19% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +174.9% | 1.4% | 3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 1.5% | 3.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More education data for United Arab Emirates
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 106,178 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 305 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 119,159 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 125,307 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 894,302 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 586,477 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0534 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates was 1.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2016.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 173rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.