Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 11.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia, 1992–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia stood at 11.3%. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 62.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 31.7% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2025.
That places Saudi Arabia 98th out of 160 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 23.8% | — |
| 2007 | 29.7% | +25.0% |
| 2008 | 29.3% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 30.0% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 28.3% | -5.4% |
| 2013 | 29.5% | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 30.4% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 31.7% | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 30.4% | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 25.2% | -17.0% |
| 2020 | 29.4% | +16.7% |
| 2021 | 19.7% | -33.1% |
| 2022 | 15.9% | -19.1% |
| 2023 | 13.7% | -13.9% |
| 2024 | 11.5% | -16.5% |
| 2025 | 11.3% | -1.5% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 11.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 81% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 11.3% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 15.3%, 74% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.8% | 23.8% | 23.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 29.7% | 29.3% | 30.0% | 3 |
| 2010s | 29.2% | 25.2% | 31.7% | 6 |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 11.3% | 29.4% | 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 unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Saudi Arabia was 11.3% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 31.7% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2025.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 98th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national 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. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.