Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) was 3.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Saudi Arabia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 3.9% for employers, total (% of total employment) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 317.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, total (% of total employment) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 4.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2017.
Saudi Arabia ranks 70th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.1% | — |
| 1992 | 2.1% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | -3.7% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 1.9% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | -5.2% |
| 1999 | 1.7% | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 1.6% | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 1.5% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.4% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 1.4% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 1.4% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 1.3% | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 1.1% | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 0.9% | -9.1% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | +14.7% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | +112.3% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | +54.2% |
| 2021 | 4.3% | +41.0% |
| 2022 | 4.7% | +7.4% |
| 2023 | 3.4% | -26.1% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | +12.6% |
| 2025 | 3.9% | +0.3% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 3.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.4%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 3.9% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.6%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +112.3% | 0.9% | 2.0% |
| 2020 | +54.2% | 2.0% | 3.1% |
| 2021 | +41.0% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| 2023 | -26.1% | 4.7% | 3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.9% | 3.1% | 4.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More work & labour data for Saudi Arabia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5946 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.6842 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5985 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 40,709 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 4,348 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 31,198 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,809 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 71,007 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employers, total (% of total employment) in Saudi Arabia?
- Employers, total (% of total employment) in Saudi Arabia was 3.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2017.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for employers, total (% of total employment)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 70th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employers, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 317.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs" i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).