The size of the country’s workforce will rise to 9.4 million individuals in 2024

The Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics announced that the size of the workforce in the UAE has increased to 9.4 million individuals during the year 2024, a significant increase over the year 2023. The economic participation rate for individuals (15 years and over) has also increased to 81.4% compared to 78.5% in 2023, and the unemployment rate has decreased to 1.9% compared to 2.1% in 2023, to remain among the lowest levels in the world, according to estimates by the International Labor Organization. It reflects the strength of the national labor market and continued growth in various economic sectors.

The Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics revealed that the UAE continues to consolidate its global leadership in labor market competitiveness indicators, by achieving first place globally in the labor force growth index for the year 2025, in the Global Competitiveness Yearbook issued by the International Institute for Administrative Development. The country also ranked among the top five in 5 other competitive indicators related to the labor market, including second place globally in the percentage index. For the workforce, the index of the percentage of the expatriate workforce, ranked third globally in the index of availability of skilled labor, ranked fourth globally in the index of the availability of labor regulations, and ranked fifth globally in the index of unit labor cost of the total economy.

A forward-looking vision and an ideal environment for workforce growth

Hanan Ahli, Director of the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, said: “The positive results of the 2024 Labor Force Survey, which showed an increase in the size of the labor force, an increase in economic participation, and a decrease in the unemployment rate to only 1.9% compared to the global average, are not limited to being just statistical figures, but rather are the result of the forward-looking vision of our wise leadership, which continues to promote building an ideal environment for the growth of the workforce and providing… Sustainable opportunities through launching initiatives and policies that support workforce growth and reduce unemployment rates.”

Hanan Ahly added that the labor force survey is one of the important household surveys that contributes to providing the necessary data for the purposes of research and statistical analysis and supports decision makers at various levels. It provides modern, accurate, and high-quality data related to the characteristics of the population according to their relationship to the labor force in general and to the characteristics related to the population participating in the labor force and the characteristics related to them in particular.

Growth in the size of the workforce

The results of the survey conducted by the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, in partnership with the local statistical centers in the UAE, revealed an increase in the size of the workforce in the country during the year 2024 compared to the year 2023, to reach 9.4 million individuals, which are individuals aged 15 years and over, whether employed or unemployed. The number of employed people also increased to reach 9.2 million individuals, of whom males constituted 81% with a number of 7.5%. One million individuals, compared to 1.7 million working females, at a rate of 19%, and the economic participation rate rose to 81.4% compared to 78.5% in 2023, which is the percentage of the workforce of the total population of the UAE who are 15 years old and over.

Low unemployment

The results of the UAE Labor Force Survey showed a decrease in the unemployment rate for youth (individuals aged 15-24 years) to reach 5.2% compared to 16.7% in 2023, and a decrease in the unemployment rate in general to reach 1.9% compared to 2.1% in 2023, which is a low percentage compared to the global rate of 4.9%, as the UAE is one of the countries with the lowest unemployment rate in the world, according to estimates by the International Labor Organization.

The private sector is leading

The data indicated that the private sector leads the labor market in the UAE, with 85% of workers, equivalent to 7.8 million individuals out of the total number of workers (15 years and over). The number of males reached 6.7 million individuals, compared to one million female individuals, while the remaining shares were distributed among the local and federal government sectors, diplomatic bodies, non-profit bodies, and other sectors.

Age group

Data on workers (15 years and over) for the year 2024, by age group, indicated that the majority of workers are in the age group between 30 and 39 years, with a total of 3.3 million individuals, representing 36% of the total number of employees, followed by workers in the age group between 25 and 29 years, with a total of 1.5 million individuals, and the age group between 40 and 44 years, with a total of 1.4 million individuals.

Practical situation

Data from the Labor Force Survey showed that 96% of the total employees are paid workers, with 8.8 million individuals, 7.2 million of whom are males, compared to 1.6 million females, while the percentage of employers and those who are self-employed was 3%, with a total of 343.7 thousand individuals, 301.9 thousand males compared to 41.7 thousand females.

Employed by profession

As for workers by profession, legislators, senior employees, and managers constituted 8% of the total number of workers, and specialists, technicians, and specialist assistants constituted 26%, with a number of 2.3 million individuals. As for office employees and sales and service workers, their number reached 1.9 million workers, representing 20% ​​of the total number of workers, and craftsmen and factory operators constituted a percentage of 28%, with about 2.6 million workers, most of whom were male. The number of workers is 2.5 million, while the rest of the workers are auxiliary workers and workers in their homes, who constitute 17%.

It is noteworthy that the Labor Force Survey is one of the main household surveys, which helps in identifying the relationship of individuals of working age to the labor market, in terms of whether the individual is employed or unemployed (seeking work and available to start), or being outside the labor force such as being devoted to household chores, or a student, or unable or unwilling to work, or retired. The survey is carried out annually in the fourth quarter of the year as it is a period It is characterized by a kind of stability, as all individuals are permanently present in the country.