Unemployment rate (IMF) — all countries

Unemployment rate (IMF) — Saudi Arabia

Unemployment rate (IMF) in Saudi Arabia in 2024 — 3.5%. Ranked 27 in the world out of 108. Since 1999, the indicator has fallen by 0.8 pp.

2024 3.5% −0.5 pp vs 2023
World rank 27of 108
Period maximum 7.7%2020
Period minimum 3.5%2024

Trend over time

1999–2024 · % of labor force

Unemployment rate (IMF) — Saudi Arabia, 1999–202424681999200220052008201120142017202020231999: 4.3%2000: 4.6%2001: 4.6%2002: 5.3%2003: 5.6%2004: 5.8%2005: 6.1%2006: 6.3%2007: 5.6%2008: 5.2%2009: 5.4%2010: 5.5%2011: 5.8%2012: 5.5%2013: 5.6%2014: 5.7%2015: 5.6%2016: 5.6%2017: 5.9%2018: 6%2019: 5.6%2020: 7.7%2021: 6.1%2022: 4.9%2023: 4%2024: 3.5%
Change over the period: −0.8 pp Annual average: -0.03 pp
Unemployment rate (IMF) — Saudi Arabia, by year Saudi Arabia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 3.5 −0.5 pp
2023 4 −0.9 pp
2022 4.9 −1.2 pp
2021 6.1 −1.6 pp
2020 7.7 +2.1 pp
2019 5.6 −0.4 pp
2018 6 +0.1 pp
2017 5.9 +0.3 pp
2016 5.6 +0 pp
2015 5.6 −0.1 pp
2014 5.7 +0.1 pp
2013 5.6 +0.1 pp
2012 5.5 −0.3 pp
2011 5.8 +0.3 pp
2010 5.5 +0.1 pp
2009 5.4 +0.2 pp
2008 5.2 −0.4 pp
2007 5.6 −0.7 pp
2006 6.3 +0.2 pp
2005 6.1 +0.3 pp
2004 5.8 +0.2 pp
2003 5.6 +0.3 pp
2002 5.3 +0.7 pp
2001 4.6 +0 pp
2000 4.6 +0.3 pp
1999 4.3

Western Asia, 2024

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The unemployment rate as a percent of the labor force, from the IMF World Economic Outlook database. The series is shorter than the ILO one: the IMF publishes it only for countries with comparable labor market statistics, but in exchange it includes a forecast. For full country coverage there is the unemployment rate based on ILO data.

Source: World Economic Outlook (IMF), license IMF open data.