Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 6.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates stood at 6.5%.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 13.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 1991.
That places United Arab Emirates 151st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.9% | — |
| 1992 | 4.1% | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 4.3% | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 4.4% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 4.5% | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 4.6% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 4.8% | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 5.0% | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 5.1% | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 5.6% | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | +9.9% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | +10.4% |
| 2004 | 7.4% | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | +9.3% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 7.8% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 7.5% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 7.5% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 7.2% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 6.9% | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 6.1% | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 5.8% | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 5.4% | -6.5% |
| 2016 | 5.1% | -6.2% |
| 2017 | 7.5% | +46.3% |
| 2018 | 6.7% | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 7.3% | +8.6% |
| 2020 | 13.5% | +84.1% |
| 2021 | 9.7% | -27.8% |
| 2022 | 10.0% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 6.4% | -36.4% |
| 2024 | 6.4% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 6.5% | +0.4% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 6.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.8%, 47% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 6.5% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 21.9%, 29% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +84.1% | 7.3% | 13.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.0% | 5.1% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 5.1% | 7.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.7% | 6.4% | 13.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.9136 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7766 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,158 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,005 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 11,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 14,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 26,134 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in United Arab Emirates was 6.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 13.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 1991.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 151st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. 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 database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.