21-08-2025
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has released today a special report on Saudi women through its official website, www.stats.gov.sa. The report is distinguished by the breadth and diversity of its statistical indicators concerning Saudi women aged 15 years and above, encompassing various domains such as education, health, employment, culture, and entertainment, in addition to several other key statistical insights.
The report is based on a comprehensive set of indicators specific to Saudi women within the 15+ age group, derived from the results of multiple surveys conducted by GASTAT. It also incorporates administrative data and population estimates to deliver a wide-ranging statistical overview of women across social, economic, educational, health, cultural, and recreational sectors.
According to the findings of the Saudi Women Report 2024, issued by GASTAT, the total number of Saudi females reached 9,807,663. Women aged 15 to 34 accounted for 35.7% of the total female population, while those aged 20 to 24 represented 17.6%. These figures underscore the significant share of younger age groups among Saudi women compared to other age segments.
The report also highlighted the efforts undertaken to empower Saudi women in the labor market, which resulted in a significant decline in female unemployment rates. In 2024, the unemployment rate among Saudi women dropped notably to 13%, compared to 19% in 2022. The quarterly unemployment rate for Q4 2024 was recorded at 11.9%, down from 13.9% in the corresponding quarter of 2023. This decline coincided with the broadening of women’s economic participation and the increase in their employment across various sectors.
The report also underscored the growing achievements of Saudi women in the fields of education, innovation, and sports. Among Saudi females aged 25 years and above, 35.3% held a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. In 2024, a total of 22 Saudi women were granted patents, while Saudi women garnered 1,956 local and international awards in the sports sector during the year.
The report further revealed that 44.6% of Saudi women aged 18 years and above engaged in physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week. It also highlighted a broad level of participation in cultural and recreational activities, with visits to parks and gardens recording the highest rate at 62.7%.
The Saudi Women Report is one of the key statistical products issued by GASTAT, showcasing the most significant indicators related to Saudi women. It highlights their advancement and empowerment in the labor market, as well as their progress across social, educational, health, cultural, and recreational domains. These indicators are measured and published on an annual basis.
It is worth noting that GASTAT is the only official statistical reference for statistical data and information in Saudi Arabia. It carries out all statistical work in addition to providing technical oversight of the statistical sector. It also designs and implements field surveys, conducts statistical studies and research, analyzes data and information, and documents and archives all statistical information and data covering all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia from their multiple sources. Data are compiled, classified, analyzed, and their indicators extracted.
30-09-2025
GASTAT released Labor Market Statistics Publication for Q2 of 2025. Overall labor force participation rate (for Saudis and non-Saudis) reached 67.1%, while the overall unemployment rate (for Saudis and non-Saudis) reached 3.2%. Labor force participation rate among Saudis was 49.2%, and the unemployment rate among Saudis was 6.8%, according to the publication.
The labor force participation rate among Saudi males was 64.0%, while the unemployment rate among Saudi males reached 4.3%. The results also indicated that the labor force participation rate among Saudi females was 34.5%, whereas the unemployment rate among Saudi females was 11.3%. The results related to young Saudi females (aged 15-24 years) showed that the employment to population ratio reached 13.8%, while their labor force participation rate was recorded at 17.4%. In comparison, the unemployment to population ratio among young Saudi males was 28.0%, and their labor force participation rate was 31.6%, the publication results noted.
As for the labor market indicators in Q2 of 2025 concerning Saudi population (both males and females) in the core working age group (25-54 years), the employment to population ratio was 63.3%, while the labor force participation rate reached 67.3%. The results further indicated that the unemployment rate reached 5.9%.
Regarding the job search methods, it is noteworthy that the Labor Market Statistics Publication for Q2 of 2025 indicated that the most commonly used method was applying directly to employers, at a rate of 72.4%. This was followed by using the national unified employment platform (Jadarat) at 56.3%, while the method of asking friends or relatives about job opportunities constituted 50.5%.
29-06-2025
The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released today the Labor Market Statistics Publication for Q1 of 2025. According to the results, the overall unemployment rate (including Saudis and non-Saudis) stood at 2.8%, while the overall labor force participation rate reached 68.2%. The labor force participation rate for Saudis increased to 51.3%, compared to Q4 of 2024.
The publication showed a rise in labor force participation among Saudi males, reaching 66.4%, accompanied by a decline in their unemployment rate to 4%. It also highlighted the success of women’s empowerment initiatives, which contributed to increased female economic participation and enhanced their role in driving growth and sustainable development. The labor force participation rate for Saudi females rose to 36.3%, while their unemployment rate dropped to 10.5%, compared to the previous quarter.
Among young Saudi women (15–24 years), the employment-to-population ratio increased to 14.6%, and their labor force participation rose to 18.4%. Meanwhile, the employment-to-population ratio for young Saudi males declined to 29.2%, with their labor force participation falling to 33.0%. Their unemployment rate dropped to 11.6% compared to Q4 of 2024. These changes are attributed to improvements in labor market policies, driven by the robust performance and growing attractiveness of the Saudi labor market.
Regarding core working-age Saudis (25–54 years), the employment-to-population ratio rose to 65.9%, and the labor force participation rate increased to 69.6%, while the unemployment rate declined to 5.4%. For Saudis (55 years and older), both the unemployment rate and labor force participation rate decreased compared to the previous quarter of 2024.
According to the publication, the unemployment rate among Saudis reached a historic low of 6.3% in Q1 of 2025. Likewise, unemployment among Saudi women has declined by more than 11 percentage points since 2021, reaching 10.5%, reflecting the Saudi labor market’s growing capacity to provide economic opportunities for its citizens amid supportive policies focused on development and employment.
The most common job search method was directly approaching employers, used by 75.8% of job seekers, followed by using the national unified employment platform (Jadarat) at 74.6%, while 64.5% of job seekers reported posting or updating their resumes on professional social media platforms.
30-06-2024