World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · High income

Saudi Arabia: the labour market

Labour force is 18.4m (2025), 37th of 187 in the world and 4th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 65.1% (2025), 59th of 187 in the world and 7th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 33.6% (2025), 162nd of 187 in the world and 7th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force18.4m2025 · world 37/187 · region 4/23Participation rate65.1%2025 · world 59/187 · region 7/23Women's participation33.6%2025 · world 162/187 · region 7/23Employment rate63.1%2025 · world 49/187 · region 7/23
Labour force
Saudi Arabia
05.0m10.0m15.0m20.0m1995200020052010201520202025Saudi Arabia18.4m
Participation rate
Saudi ArabiaMiddle East, North Africa, A…High incomeWorld
45%50%55%60%65%70%1995200020052010201520202025Saudi Arabia65.1%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Saudi Arabia in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total18.4m202537/1874/234.9m8.9m14.7m+38%since 2015264m734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+65.1%202559/1877/2349.0%51.4%62.4%+5.3 ppsince 201547.4%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+33.6%2025162/1877/2316.4%17.6%29.3%+11.9 ppsince 201519.7%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)63.1%202549/1877/2346.8%48.6%57.6%+6.7 ppsince 201543.7%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)3.0%2025147/18718/234.6%5.5%7.7%−2.6 ppsince 20157.8%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)9.7%202552/18716/239.3%18.7%24.7%−15.7 ppsince 201512.1%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)10.0%2025117/18717/2322.8%24.7%29.6%−18.1 ppsince 201518.7%11.5%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %16.4%202596/17013/16··20.3%—32.2%10.6%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment94.5%20257/1876/2393.2%95.5%94.4%−2.3 ppsince 201561.0%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)1.7%2025184/18720/235.1%3.3%2.5%−0.7 ppsince 201536.1%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment2.5%2025154/18716/236.5%4.9%3.2%−1.6 ppsince 201521.7%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment23.1%202557/18715/2325.4%25.9%22.9%−3.3 ppsince 201526.6%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment74.4%202539/1876/2368.1%69.1%73.9%+4.9 ppsince 201551.7%74.9%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Saudi Arabia and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Saudi Arabia. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorSaudi ArabiaEgyptIranIraqYemenJordan
Labour force18.4m202536.1m202529.5m202512.5m20258.2m20253.2m2025
Participation rate65.1%202544.6%202541.0%202541.5%202533.1%202540.1%2025
Women's participation33.6%202518.5%202514.0%202510.9%20254.7%202516.0%2025
Employment rate63.1%202541.5%202537.6%202535.1%202527.4%202533.4%2025
Unemployment3.0%20256.8%20258.3%202515.5%202517.3%202516.5%2025
Female unemployment9.7%202515.3%202515.6%202530.1%202530.3%202523.3%2025
Youth unemployment10.0%202518.3%202521.9%202532.0%202532.6%202538.9%2025
Youth NEET rate16.4%202523.8%202424.3%202436.9%202144.8%201429.4%2024
Wage workers94.5%202573.0%202557.1%202568.3%202547.4%202588.8%2025
Egypt: labourIran: labourIraq: labourYemen: labourJordan: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesSaudi Arabia: all key statisticscountry profile