9.4 million individuals, the size of the workforce in the UAE during 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 of 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, This reflects the strength of the national labor market and the 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 workforce 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 five other competitive indicators related to the labor market, which included second place globally in the percentage of labor force index, and the percentage index of the expatriate workforce, third place globally in the index of availability of skilled labor, fourth place globally in the index of availability of labor regulations, and fifth place globally in the index of unit labor cost of the total economy.

Director of the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, Hanan Ahli, 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 that continues to promote building an ideal environment for the growth of the labor force. And providing sustainable opportunities by launching initiatives and policies that support workforce growth and reduce unemployment rates.”

She 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, supports decision makers at various levels, and provides modern, accurate, high-quality data related to the characteristics of the population, according to their relationship to the labor force in general, and the characteristics related to the population participating in the labor force and the characteristics related to them in particular.”

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 which 81% were males. With a number of 7.5 million individuals, compared to 1.7 million female workers, 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 and those aged 15 years and over.

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 Labor Organization. International.

The data indicated that the private sector dominates 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.

Data from the Labor Force Survey showed that 96% of the total employees are paid workers, with 8.8 million individuals, including 7.2 million 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.

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Legislators, senior staff and managers

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. Craftsmen and factory operators constituted a percentage of 28%, with about 2.6 million workers, most of whom were male, with a number of 2.5 million. The rest The workers include domestic helpers and workers in their homes, and they constituted 17%.

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