Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 1.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
1.0%
Change on year
down 32.5%
World rank
174th
of 181 countries
All-time high
3.8%
in 2020
All-time low
1.0%
in 2024
Years of data
16
1975–2024

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates, 1975–2024

12341975199920241975: 1.91980: 1.11985: 1.11995: 1.72000: 2.22005: 2.52008: 22016: 1.12017: 1.32018: 1.32019: 1.32020: 3.82021: 2.12022: 1.52023: 1.52024: 1

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

In 2024, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates stood at 1.0%. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.

That represents a change of down 32.5% on the previous year and down 5.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 3.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2024.

United Arab Emirates ranks 174th of 181 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in United Arab Emirates, 1975 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1975 1.9%
1980 1.1% -42.7%
1985 1.1% -1.8%
1995 1.7% +64.6%
2000 2.2% +26.4%
2005 2.5% +14.5%
2008 2.0% -21.4%
2016 1.1% -45.6%
2017 1.3% +23.7%
2018 1.3% +0.9%
2019 1.3% +0.2%
2020 3.8% +186.3%
2021 2.1% -45.0%
2022 1.5% -31.1%
2023 1.5% +3.0%
2024 1.0% -32.5%

United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries

  • United Arab Emirates's 1.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 21% of the median. (75 countries reporting)
  • United Arab Emirates's 1.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 5.8%, 17% of the median. (20 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 1.9% 1.9% 1.9% 1
1980s 1.1% 1.1% 1.1% 2
1990s 1.7% 1.7% 1.7% 1
2000s 2.2% 2.0% 2.5% 3
2010s 1.3% 1.1% 1.3% 4
2020s 2.0% 1.0% 3.8% 5

Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates

  1. 171 Tonga 1.1% compare
  2. 172 Burundi 1.1% compare
  3. 173 Myanmar 1.0% compare
  4. 175 Kuwait 0.9% compare
  5. 176 Thailand 0.6% compare
  6. 177 Niger 0.5% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates

All data for United Arab Emirates →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates?
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates was 1.0% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 2020.
What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2024.
How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
United Arab Emirates ranks 174th out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Arab Emirates data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Arab Emirates. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-male-percent-of-male-labor-force-national-estimate/united-arab-emirates/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
205 places, 5,415 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.