Labor force participation rate in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Labor force participation rate was 78.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in United Arab Emirates, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in United Arab Emirates stood at 78.6%.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in United Arab Emirates peaked at 79.5% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 74.4%, in 1990.
That places United Arab Emirates 12th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 75.2% | 74.4% | 76.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 76.1% | 74.5% | 77.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.9% | 76.6% | 79.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.1% | 77.1% | 78.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- 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 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 78.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 91.5% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 57.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 53.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 79.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 92.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 54.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in United Arab Emirates?
- Labor force participation rate in United Arab Emirates was 78.6% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 79.5% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.4% in 1990.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for labor force participation rate?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 12th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. 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, 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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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).