Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 1.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United Arab Emirates recorded 1.5% for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.9% on the previous year and up 92.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 1.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1991.
United Arab Emirates ranks 185th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 0.2% | — |
| 1992 | 0.2% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 0.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +16.9% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -8.7% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 0.3% | +10.5% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +10.6% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | +65.0% |
| 2010 | 0.6% | +15.7% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | -20.5% |
| 2012 | 0.6% | +16.2% |
| 2013 | 0.6% | +13.4% |
| 2014 | 0.6% | -10.1% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | +36.4% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 1.0% | +26.8% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | +47.4% |
| 2020 | 1.4% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -23.0% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | +39.9% |
| 2024 | 1.6% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 1.5% | -4.9% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 1.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 16% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 1.5% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 19.4%, 8% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +65.0% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 182 Macau, China 3.3% compare
- 183 Kuwait 2.4% compare
- 184 Saudi Arabia 1.7% compare
- 186 Bahrain 0.7% compare
- 187 Qatar 0.5% compare
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 vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in United Arab Emirates was 1.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 1.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1991.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 185th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 92.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.