Saudi Unemployment Hits Record Low at 6.3% in Early 2025

Saudi Arabia has recorded a sharp drop in unemployment, marking a key milestone in its Vision 2030 reform plan. According to the General Authority for Statistics, unemployment among Saudi nationals fell to 7.1 percent in 2024, down from 12.8 percent in 2018. The figure dipped further to 6.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025, the lowest rate ever recorded.

The improvement comes six years ahead of the Vision 2030 target of 7 percent. In response, officials have revised the goal, now aiming to reduce unemployment among Saudi nationals to 5 percent by the end of the decade.

Female participation in the labour force has also surged, reaching 36.3 percent compared to the original Vision 2030 target of 30 percent. Female unemployment currently stands at 10.5 percent.

Officials attribute the progress to labour reforms and initiatives designed to expand private-sector opportunities, strengthen competitiveness, and accelerate the kingdom’s economic diversification.