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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · High income

United Arab Emirates: the labour market

Labour force is 7.6m (2025), 69th of 187 in the world and 10th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 78.6% (2025), 12th of 187 in the world and 2nd of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 53.0% (2025), 94th of 187 in the world and 4th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force7.6m2025 · world 69/187 · region 10/23Participation rate78.6%2025 · world 12/187 · region 2/23Women's participation53.0%2025 · world 94/187 · region 4/23Employment rate76.9%2025 · world 11/187 · region 2/23
Labour force
United Arab Emirates
02.0m4.0m6.0m8.0m1995200020052010201520202025United Arab Emirates7.6m
Participation rate
United Arab EmiratesMiddle East, North Africa, A…High incomeWorld
0%20%40%60%80%1995200020052010201520202025United Arab Emirates78.6%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: United Arab Emirates 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, total7.6m202569/18710/232.1m4.4m6.2m+38%since 2015264m734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+78.6%202512/1872/2374.5%76.6%78.8%+0.6 ppsince 201547.4%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+53.0%202594/1874/2333.9%42.9%58.2%+4.8 ppsince 201519.7%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)76.9%202511/1872/2372.8%74.5%75.4%+0.3 ppsince 201543.7%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)2.2%2025169/18721/232.2%2.8%4.3%+0.4 ppsince 20157.8%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)4.2%2025120/18719/232.7%6.1%5.7%±0.0 ppsince 201512.1%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)6.5%2025151/18720/235.1%7.2%13.5%+1.0 ppsince 201518.7%11.5%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %7.5%2025155/17016/16··10.7%2021—32.2%10.6%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment94.9%20256/1875/2396.6%95.2%95.2%−1.5 ppsince 201561.0%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)1.5%2025185/18721/230.2%0.6%1.4%+0.7 ppsince 201536.1%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment1.4%2025171/18719/235.8%3.1%2.1%−1.3 ppsince 201521.7%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment30.6%202519/1877/2342.8%31.8%28.9%−0.5 ppsince 201526.6%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment68.0%202568/1879/2351.5%65.1%69.0%+1.9 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

United Arab Emirates and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with United Arab Emirates. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorUnited Arab EmiratesIranSaudi ArabiaOman
Labour force7.6m202529.5m202518.4m20252.8m2025
Participation rate78.6%202541.0%202565.1%202568.4%2025
Women's participation53.0%202514.0%202533.6%202530.0%2025
Employment rate76.9%202537.6%202563.1%202566.2%2025
Unemployment2.2%20258.3%20253.0%20253.3%2025
Female unemployment4.2%202515.6%20259.7%202511.1%2025
Youth unemployment6.5%202521.9%202510.0%202513.9%2025
Youth NEET rate7.5%202524.3%202416.4%202525.5%2022
Wage workers94.9%202557.1%202594.5%202595.0%2025
Iran: labourSaudi Arabia: labourOman: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesUnited Arab Emirates: all key statisticscountry profile