Saudi Labor Market Update - Q2 2017
Budget ReportIn this report, we analyze the latest trends in the labor market in Saudi Arabia during Q2 2017. According to GaStat, Saudi unemployment rose slightly from 12.7 percent in Q1 2017 to 12.8 percent in Q2 2017. In addition, between Q1 and Q2 2017, the Saudization ratio in the local economy increased from 42.5 percent to 43.1 percent, although this was mainly due to more non-Saudis leaving the local labor market rather than higher employment of Saudis.
Saudi Labor Market Update: Unemployment and participation fall
Budget ReportAccording to data recently released by the General Authority for Statistics (GAS), the Saudi unemployment rate fell slightly from 11.7 percent in 2014 to 11.5 percent in 2015. This fall was mainly attributed to a decline in Saudi labor force participation rather than higher employment growth, as job creation for Saudis have actually slowed during the year. Looking ahead, we expect the private sector to be the main source of new jobs for Saudis, supported by continued labor market reform.
