Saudi Unemployment Falls to 6.4% in Q1 2026

Saudi Arabia's unemployment rate among nationals fell to about 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2026, down from 7.2 percent in the final quarter of 2025, as the labor market continued to strengthen for both men and women.

The overall unemployment rate, covering Saudis and non-Saudis, eased to 3.1 percent from 3.5 percent over the same period, a drop of 0.4 percentage points. Non-Saudi unemployment stood at 1.5 percent.

Among Saudi men, the jobless rate declined to 4.9 percent, down 0.7 percentage points from 5.6 percent. The improvement was even sharper for Saudi women, whose unemployment rate fell to 9.0 percent from 10.3 percent, a decrease of 1.3 percentage points.

Regional picture

Unemployment varied across the Kingdom. Overall joblessness was lowest in Riyadh at 2.0 percent and the Eastern Province at 2.1 percent, while it reached 4.6 percent in Makkah and 5.4 percent in the Northern Borders region. Across the total population, male unemployment was 2.2 percent and female unemployment 7.2 percent.

The latest figures place Saudi-national unemployment near its lowest level since 2021 and closer to the medium-term goal of around 5 percent set under رؤية السعودية 2030.

For residents and job seekers, the steady decline signals a widening pool of opportunities, particularly for Saudi women entering the workforce. Continued gains in employment support household incomes and reflect ongoing efforts to broaden participation across the Kingdom's expanding economy.

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