Labor force participation rate in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Labor force participation rate was 65.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Saudi Arabia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 65.1% for labor force participation rate in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Saudi Arabia peaked at 65.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 47.9%, in 2003.
Saudi Arabia ranks 59th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51.4% | — |
| 1991 | 51.3% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 51.3% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 51.0% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 50.6% | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 50.1% | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 49.7% | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 49.2% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 48.7% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 48.2% | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 49.0% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 48.4% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 48.0% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 47.9% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 47.9% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 48.1% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 48.3% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 48.6% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 49.1% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 49.6% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 51.4% | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 53.4% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 55.4% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 57.2% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 58.4% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 59.7% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 60.7% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 59.0% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 59.4% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 61.2% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 63.5% | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 63.8% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 65.3% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 65.2% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 65.1% | -0.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 65.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 65.1% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 45.0%, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 50.1% | 48.2% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.5% | 47.9% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.6% | 51.4% | 61.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.2% | 62.4% | 65.3% | 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 labor force participation rate in Saudi Arabia?
- Labor force participation rate in Saudi Arabia was 65.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 65.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.9% in 2003.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for labor force participation rate?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 59th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation 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 over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).