Data from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics showed that the Kingdom’s unemployment rate fell to 6.5% in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 6.8% in the same quarter of 2025, while rising marginally from 6.4% in the first quarter of this year.
Workforce localisation and expanding job opportunities
The report issued for 2025 said economic reforms, workforce localisation policies and job-creation efforts had helped reduce unemployment among Saudis, supported by Labour Market Strategy initiatives and the Human Capability Development Programme.
These initiatives focus on narrowing the gap between jobseekers’ skills and those required by the labour market, alongside expanding sector development and investment opportunities, raising the number of Saudis employed in the private sector to more than 2.5 million by the end of 2025.
According to the report, the indicator’s data were updated based on revised population census data for 2024, which was built on the 2022 Saudi Census, with the aim of providing a more accurate reading of progress in job creation.
Unemployment among Saudi women at 10.3%
The unemployment rate among Saudi women stood at 10.3%, its lowest level on record, amid initiatives aimed at facilitating access to workplaces, providing childcare services and supporting women in work environments.
Saudi Vision 2030 target
The latest annual report on Saudi Vision 2030 showed that the unemployment indicator had reached its 2030 target of 7% by the end of 2024, ahead of schedule.
