Saudi Unemployment Falls to 3.1% in Q1 2026

New labor-market figures show Saudi Arabia's overall unemployment rate stood at 3.1% in the first quarter of 2026, while the jobless rate among Saudi nationals was 6.4%, pointing to continued strength across several economic sectors.

The data shows the employment-to-population ratio for Saudi nationals reached 45.8% in Q1 2026, with the total-population labor-force participation rate at 67.2%. Construction remained the largest employer, with 3,405,561 people, followed by wholesale and retail trade at 1,816,403 and administrative and support services at 1,518,486.

Retail activity also showed momentum on the revenue side, as wholesale and retail operating revenues rose 3.2% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026. On the workforce side, more than 2.6 million Saudis were employed in the private sector by the end of 2025, including over 212,000 who joined during the year.

Support and contracts

Government-backed hiring programs continued to expand. The Human Resources Development Fund supported the employment of 329,000 Saudi citizens during the first half of 2026, an annual increase of 23%. Meanwhile, قوى documented 419,381 employment contracts for Saudi nationals in the second quarter of 2026.

For residents and job seekers, the figures signal a labor market that is absorbing workers steadily, with trade, construction and support services offering large pools of employment. The rise in private-sector jobs and documented contracts also reflects ongoing efforts under رؤية السعودية 2030 to broaden employment opportunities for citizens while keeping the wider economy active.

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