GASTAT: Unemployment Rate in Saudi Arabia Reaches 2.8% in Q1 2025

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) revealed that the overall unemployment rate (including Saudis and non-Saudis) stood at 2.8% in the first quarter of 2025. The total labor force participation rate reached 68.2%, while the participation rate among Saudis increased to 51.3% compared to Q4 of 2024.
 According to the Labor Market Statistics Bulletin for Q1 2025, the labor force participation rate among Saudi males rose to 66.4%, and their unemployment rate declined to 4%. The results also highlighted the success of women's empowerment initiatives, which contributed to increasing women’s economic participation and enhancing their role in advancing growth and sustainable development. The labor force participation rate among Saudi females rose to 36.3%, while their unemployment rate dropped to 10.5%, compared to the previous quarter.
 Among young Saudi women (ages 15–24), the employment-to-population ratio rose to 14.6%, and their labor force participation rate increased to 18.4%. For young Saudi males in the same age group, the employment-to-population ratio decreased to 29.2%, and their labor force participation rate declined to 33%. Their unemployment rate dropped to 11.6% compared to Q4 2024. These outcomes reflect the impact of improved labor market policies in Saudi Arabia, driven by its strong and evolving performance and increasing attractiveness.
 For working-age Saudis (males and females aged 25–54), the employment-to-population ratio reached 65.9%, and the labor force participation rate rose to 69.6%, while the unemployment rate dropped to 5.4%. Among Saudis aged 55 and older, the results showed a decrease in both the unemployment rate and labor force participation rate compared to the previous quarter of 2024.
 The bulletin further revealed that the unemployment rate among Saudis reached its lowest historical level at 6.3% in Q1 2025. Similarly, the unemployment rate among Saudi women declined by more than 11 percentage points since 2021, settling at 10.5%, reflecting the Saudi labor market's growing capacity to provide economic opportunities for citizens, supported by robust employment and development policies.
 According to GASTAT, the most common method used to search for jobs was direct application to employers (75.8%), followed by the use of the national unified employment platform (Jadarat) at 74.6%, while 64.5% of job seekers reported posting or updating their CVs on business-related social media platforms.