Saudi Arabia’s Unemployment Rate Falls to 4.3% in Q3 2025
Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate went down to 4.3% in the third quarter of 2025. This is a 0.3% drop compared to last year, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
GASTAT said the figures are based on data from its labor force survey, which includes both Saudi and non-Saudi workers. However, compared to the previous quarter, unemployment rose slightly by 0.2%.
Unemployment Among Saudi Nationals
The unemployment rate for Saudi citizens reached 7.3% in the third quarter of 2025. This was 0.7% higher than the second quarter. Even though overall unemployment improved over the year, joblessness among Saudis increased during the quarter.
The Saudi labor force participation rate fell to 49% in the third quarter. This shows fewer Saudis were either working or looking for work compared to the second quarter of 2025 and the same period in 2024.
Overall Labor Market Participation
The total labor force participation rate, which includes Saudis and non-Saudis, was 66.9% in the third quarter of 2025. This was 0.2% lower than the previous quarter. However, it was still 0.3% higher than the third quarter of 2024, showing some long-term improvement.
Willingness to Work in the Private Sector
GASTAT shared a positive finding from the survey. Most unemployed Saudis said they are willing to work in the private sector. Many also said they are ready to work eight hours or more per day.
The survey showed that Saudis mainly look for jobs by contacting employers directly, using the national employment platform Jadarat, and posting or searching on professional social media platforms.
Differences by Gender
Saudi women’s participation in the labor market fell to 33.7% in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the second quarter. On the other hand, Saudi male participation stood much higher at 64.3%.
The unemployment rate for Saudi women increased by 0.8% from the previous quarter, reaching 12.1%. When including both Saudi and non-Saudi women, the total female unemployment rate was 9.4% in the third quarter.
Changes by Age Group
Saudis aged 25 to 54 years, the main working-age group, saw a decline in participation. Their participation rate dropped to 66.9%, a 0.4% decrease from the previous quarter.
Participation also fell among Saudis aged 55 and above. Their rate dropped from 24.2% in the second quarter to 23.2% in the third quarter of 2025.
Overall, Saudi Arabia’s labor market shows mixed trends. While unemployment has fallen over the year, participation rates and unemployment among some groups remain a challenge.
Published: 30th December 2025
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