Unemployment rate in Kuwait
Kuwait: Unemployment rate was 2.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate in Kuwait, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Kuwait stood at 2.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Kuwait peaked at 3.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 1995.
Kuwait ranks 167th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 0.8% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 3.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
- 164 Macao 2.3% compare
- 165 Cote d'Ivoire 2.3% compare
- 166 Philippines 2.2% compare
- 168 United Arab Emirates 2.2% compare
- 169 Russia 2.1% compare
- 170 Tonga 2.0% compare
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 unemployment rate in Kuwait?
- Unemployment rate in Kuwait was 2.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 1995.
- How does Kuwait rank for unemployment rate?
- Kuwait ranks 167th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. 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 Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.