Employers, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Employers, total (% of total employment) was 3.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employers, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 3.6% for employers, total (% of total employment) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 4.5% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 2016.
United Arab Emirates ranks 86th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employers, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.1% | — |
| 1992 | 3.1% | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 3.2% | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 3.2% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 3.2% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 3.5% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 3.4% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | +10.3% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | +10.7% |
| 2009 | 4.3% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 4.2% | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 3.9% | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | -7.0% |
| 2014 | 2.9% | -21.7% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.0% | +9.4% |
| 2019 | 3.5% | +17.1% |
| 2020 | 3.3% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | +12.7% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | -4.4% |
| 2024 | 3.6% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 3.6% | +0.1% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 3.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.4%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 3.6% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.6%, 98% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.2% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.8% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.3% | 3.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 83 United States Virgin Islands 3.6% compare
- 84 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 3.6% compare
- 85 Syrian Arab Republic 3.6% compare
- 87 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 3.6% compare
- 88 Belgium 3.6% compare
- 89 Malaysia 3.5% compare
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.9136 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7766 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,158 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,005 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 11,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 14,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 26,134 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employers, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates?
- Employers, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates was 3.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 4.5% in 2008.
- What is the lowest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 2016.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for employers, total (% of total employment)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 86th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employers, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.
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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).