Saudi unemployment rate falls to 6.4% in Q1 2026

Saudi unemployment posts sharp quarterly decline

Unemployment rate among Saudi nationals fell to 6.4% in the first quarter of 2026, down from 7.2% in Q4 2025, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).

The unemployment rate stood at 4.9% for Saudi males and 9% for Saudi females, while the rate for non-Saudis was 1.5%.

The overall unemployment rate for the working-age population declined to 3.1% in Q1 2026, compared with 3.5% in the previous quarter, GASTAT said.

The labor force participation rate for Saudi males fell to 64.2% in Q1 2026 compared with the fourth quarter of 2025.

Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate for Saudi females declined to 33.9%, compared with 34.5% in Q4 2025.

By region, the Northern Borders recorded the highest overall unemployment rate at 5.4%, followed by Makkah at 4.6%.

Riyadh and the Eastern Province posted the lowest overall unemployment rates at 2% and 2.1%, respectively.