Saudi Unemployment Hits Record Low in Q1, Shows Strong Job Market Progress
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced that the unemployment rate among Saudis dropped to a historic low of 6.3% in the first quarter of 2025. The ministry said this shows the success of ongoing national programs aimed at improving the job market.
Progress Under Vision 2030
The ministry highlighted that programs supporting the private sector helped create jobs for 2.48 million Saudis. It also said that the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) helped employ 143,000 Saudis during the quarter and spent $488 million (SAR 1.83 billion) on training and career support.
This progress supports the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to reduce reliance on oil and grow the economy. Vision 2030 had set a 7% unemployment target for 2030, but that was reached early, so the new goal is now 5%. The ministry credited the National Labor Market Strategy for empowering Saudi workers.
Job Numbers for Q1
According to a recent report from the General Authority for Statistics:
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Saudi unemployment dropped to 6.3%, the lowest since records began.
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Overall unemployment (including Saudis and non-Saudis) was 2.8%.
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Labor force participation reached 68.2%, and Saudi participation rose to 51.3%.
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Unemployment among Saudi women fell to a record low of 10.5%, down from 11.9% in Q4 2024.
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For Saudis aged 25 to 54, the employment rate was 65.9%, and unemployment dropped to 5.4%.
Economic Outlook
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently increased Saudi Arabia’s 2025 GDP growth forecast to 3.5%, up from 3%. This is due to more demand for government projects and expected changes in oil production by OPEC+.
Published: 4th July 2025
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