Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 2.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates is 2.2%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 4.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1991.
United Arab Emirates ranks 169th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.6% | — |
| 1992 | 1.7% | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | +10.8% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.9% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 2.1% | +8.5% |
| 1999 | 2.2% | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 2.2% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | +8.6% |
| 2002 | 2.7% | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 2.9% | +9.2% |
| 2004 | 3.0% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 3.1% | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 3.0% | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 2.9% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 2.9% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 2.8% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -7.5% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -10.2% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | -10.3% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 2.5% | +50.1% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -9.2% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 4.3% | +84.2% |
| 2021 | 3.1% | -27.7% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -25.1% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.8% | 2.2% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.8% | 2.2% | 4.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 166 Côte d'Ivoire 2.3% compare
- 167 Philippines 2.2% compare
- 168 Kuwait 2.2% compare
- 170 Russian Federation 2.1% compare
- 171 Tonga 2.0% compare
- 172 Togo 2.0% compare
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, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in United Arab Emirates was 2.2% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1991.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 169th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.