Employment rate in Kuwait
Kuwait: Employment rate was 71.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment rate in Kuwait, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 71.8% for employment rate in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Kuwait peaked at 72.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 62.8%, in 1992.
Kuwait ranks 18th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.2% | 62.8% | 66.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 66.5% | 65.4% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.1% | 67.4% | 71.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.7% | 66.8% | 72.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More work & labour data for Kuwait
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 73.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 88.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 53.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 47.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 75.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 89.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 49.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Kuwait?
- Employment rate in Kuwait was 71.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 72.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.8% in 1992.
- How does Kuwait rank for employment rate?
- Kuwait ranks 18th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.