ILO estimate of the unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia
The ILO estimates the unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia at 3.0% in 2025. The value for 2025 is the lowest in the series, which starts in 1991.
Saudi Arabia, 2025
3.0%
Change from 2024
−0.5percentage points
World, 2025
4.9%
Median of G20 countries, 2025
4.2%
Position in 2025
141st of 181
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia over time
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Saudi Arabia
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of the labour force aged 15 and over. Source: ILO, ILOSTAT (ILO Modelled Estimates). Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years. Dashed lines are projections.
| Period | Saudi Arabia | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.0% | 4.9% |
| 2024 | 3.5% | 4.9% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | 4.9% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | 5.3% |
| 2021 | 6.6% | 6.0% |
| 2020 | 7.7% | 6.6% |
| 2019 | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2018 | 6.0% | 5.8% |
| 2017 | 5.9% | 5.9% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | 6.0% |
Flags: f Projection . A dash means no value was published.
In short
- That is a change of −0.5 percentage points from 3.5% in 2024.
- Since 2015, when it was 5.6%, the figure has changed by −2.6 percentage points.
- Among the 181 countries with data for 2025, Saudi Arabia has the 141st highest value.
- The figure for the world in 2025 was 4.9%.
More for Saudi Arabia
All statistics for Saudi Arabia
ILO estimate of youth unemployment
10.0%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Labour force participation
65.1%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Women's labour force participation
33.6%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Employment-to-population ratio
63.1%
2025 · ILOSTAT
Employment in agriculture
2.5%
2025 · World Bank
Employment in industry
23.1%
2025 · World Bank