Saudi unemployment falls to 7.5% in Q3 2025 as female participation rises

Saudi Arabia’s labour market recorded further improvement in the third quarter of 2025, with the unemployment rate among Saudi nationals falling year-on-year and key indicators pointing to stronger female participation in economic activity.

According to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the unemployment rate among Saudis declined to 7.5 per cent in Q3 2025, down 0.3 percentage points compared with the same period in 2024.

The bulletin showed that unemployment among Saudi women fell more sharply year-on-year, reaching 12.1 per cent, a decline of 1.5 percentage points compared with the third quarter of 2024.

GASTAT said the improvement reflects the effectiveness of programmes and initiatives aimed at supporting women’s empowerment and expanding employment opportunities.

Saudi unemployment

The results also indicated that the labour force participation rate of Saudi men increased to 64.3 per cent, up 0.3 percentage points year-on-year.

Meanwhile, the employment-to-population ratio of Saudi women rose by three percentage points over the past five years to reach 29.7 per cent, highlighting continued positive structural shifts within the Saudi labour market.

Across the total population, the overall labour force participation rate reached 66.9 per cent. This represented a quarterly decline of 0.2 percentage points, alongside a year-on-year increase of 0.3 percentage points.

The employment-to-working-age population ratio stood at 64.6 per cent, marking a decrease of 0.4 percentage points compared with the second quarter of 2025, while recording a year-on-year increase of 0.5 percentage points versus the third quarter of 2024.

GASTAT said the latest figures demonstrate the continuation of national efforts to develop the expanding labour market and expand opportunities for broader participation in economic activity.

The Kingdom’s statistics authority added that these outcomes support balance and sustainability in the labour market in line with the objectives of Vision 2030, including its human capital development and economic growth programmes.