Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Saudi Arabia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Saudi Arabia stood at 3.0%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 13.6% on the previous year and down 45.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 7.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2025.
Saudi Arabia ranks 147th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.3% | — |
| 1992 | 7.2% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 7.0% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 6.4% | -5.5% |
| 1996 | 5.8% | -8.8% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | -9.0% |
| 1998 | 4.8% | -10.1% |
| 1999 | 4.3% | -8.5% |
| 2000 | 4.6% | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 4.6% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 5.3% | +14.0% |
| 2003 | 5.6% | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 5.8% | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 6.1% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 6.3% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | -8.3% |
| 2008 | 5.1% | -11.3% |
| 2009 | 5.4% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 5.5% | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 5.8% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 5.6% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 5.9% | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 6.0% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 7.7% | +35.9% |
| 2021 | 6.6% | -13.6% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -15.6% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | -28.3% |
| 2024 | 3.5% | -12.2% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | -13.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.1% | 4.3% | 7.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.7% | 5.5% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 3.0% | 7.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Saudi Arabia?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Saudi Arabia was 3.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2025.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 147th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total 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.