The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia rose to 3.5% in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 3.4% in the previous period. The jobless rate stood at 7.2% for Saudi nationals and 1.7% for non-Saudis. By gender, unemployment among females eased to 8.2% from 9.4% in Q2, while the rate for males rose to 2.5% from 2.2%. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate slipped to 67.4% from 66.9%, and the employment-to-population ratio rose to 65.0% from 64.6%. Survey data showed that 95.9% of unemployed Saudis are willing to accept job offers in the private sector. Survey findings indicate strong openness among unemployed Saudis to private sector opportunities, with 95.9% willing to take such roles. Many also show flexibility in work arrangements, about 63.8% of women and 46.2% of men, are prepared to travel an hour or more for a job. In terms of working hours, 67.8% of unemployed Saudi women are willing to work at least eight hours a day, while this rises to 83.0% among men. source: General Authority for Statistics, Saudi Arabia

Unemployment Rate in Saudi Arabia increased to 3.50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 3.40 percent in the third quarter of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Saudi Arabia averaged 5.36 percent from 1999 until 2025, reaching an all time high of 9.00 percent in the second quarter of 2020 and a record low of 2.80 percent in the first quarter of 2025. This page provides - Saudi Arabia Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Saudi Arabia Unemployment Rate - values, historical data and charts - was last updated on April of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Saudi Arabia increased to 3.50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 3.40 percent in the third quarter of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Saudi Arabia is expected to be 3.50 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Saudi Arabia Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 3.20 percent in 2027 and 3.00 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2025-12-29 06:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Q3 3.4% 3.2% 3.0%
2026-03-31 06:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Q4 3.5% 3.4% 3.4%
2026-06-30 06:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Q1 3.5% 3.50%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employment Rate 65.00 64.60 percent Dec 2025
Labor Force Participation Rate 67.40 66.90 percent Dec 2025
Population 35.30 33.70 Million Dec 2024
Unemployment Rate 3.50 3.40 percent Dec 2025


Saudi Arabia Unemployment Rate
In Saudi Arabia, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
3.50 3.40 9.00 2.80 1999 - 2025 percent Quarterly
NSA

News Stream
Saudi Arabia Jobless Rate Rises to 3.5% in Q4
The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia rose to 3.5% in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 3.4% in the previous period. The jobless rate stood at 7.2% for Saudi nationals and 1.7% for non-Saudis. By gender, unemployment among females eased to 8.2% from 9.4% in Q2, while the rate for males rose to 2.5% from 2.2%. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate slipped to 67.4% from 66.9%, and the employment-to-population ratio rose to 65.0% from 64.6%. Survey data showed that 95.9% of unemployed Saudis are willing to accept job offers in the private sector. Survey findings indicate strong openness among unemployed Saudis to private sector opportunities, with 95.9% willing to take such roles. Many also show flexibility in work arrangements, about 63.8% of women and 46.2% of men, are prepared to travel an hour or more for a job. In terms of working hours, 67.8% of unemployed Saudi women are willing to work at least eight hours a day, while this rises to 83.0% among men.
2026-03-31
Saudi Arabia Jobless Rate Rises to 3.4% in Q3
The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia rose to 3.4% in the third quarter of 2025, up from 3.2% in the previous period. The jobless rate stood at 7.5% for Saudi nationals and 1.4% for non-Saudis. By gender, unemployment among females fell to 9.4% from 11.3% in Q2, while the rate for males declined to 2.2% from 4.3%. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate eased to 66.9% from 67.1%, and the employment-to-population ratio slipped to 64.6% from 65.0%. Survey data showed that 95.3% of unemployed Saudis are willing to accept private-sector jobs. Among them, 61.0% of women and 42.7% of men are willing to commute for at least an hour, while 70.6% of women and 86.7% of men are open to working eight hours or more per day.
2025-12-29
Saudi Arabia Q2 Jobless Rate Rises to 3.2%
The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia rose to 3.2% in the second quarter of 2025, from a record low of 2.8% in the previous period. Among genders, the jobless rate for both Saudi females (11.3% vs 10.5% in Q1) and Saudi males (4.3% vs 4.0%). Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate went down to 67.1% from 68.2% in the first quarter. The employment-to-population ratio edged lower to 65.0% in Q2 from 66.3% in the previous three-month period.
2025-09-30