Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — The Saudi authorities has set a revised unemployment goal of 5% following continued enhancements in job creation and labor participation, as highlighted within the closing Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) 2025 Article IV Session report.
The Ministry of Human Assets and Social Improvement (HRSD) welcomed the IMF’s closing conclusions, which underscore the Kingdom’s accelerating labor market transformation underneath Imaginative and prescient 2030.
Among the many main achievements, unemployment amongst Saudi nationals declined to 7% by the fourth quarter of 2024, surpassing the unique Imaginative and prescient 2030 goal forward of schedule.
The federal government’s new purpose of 5% alerts rising confidence within the Kingdom’s financial trajectory.
The IMF report additionally famous that feminine labor power participation stays at 36%, doubling over the previous 5 years.
Each youth and feminine unemployment charges have halved over a four-year interval, reflecting the inclusiveness of Saudi labor reforms.
Personal sector employment for Saudi nationals grew by a median of 12% in 2024, with sustained momentum into 2025. Wage premiums are growing, particularly in higher-skilled positions, indicating rising returns on schooling and workforce growth.
A spokesperson for HRSD commented on the report’s findings, stating: “This report confirms that our Labor Market Technique is delivering outcomes at scale. Unemployment is falling, non-public sector alternatives are rising, and feminine participation within the workforce has reached historic highs. The structural transformation underway is actual and it’s delivering tangible advantages to residents throughout the Kingdom.”
The IMF additionally welcomed the February 2025 amendments to Saudi labor legislation and praised investments in workforce coaching, versatile employment fashions, and reasonably priced childcare as essential enablers of productiveness and inclusivity.
It additional emphasised Saudi Arabia’s strategic shift from amount to high quality of jobs, improved job-matching efforts, and stronger education-to-work alignment.