United Arab Emirates (2025)
2.2
% of labor force (ILO methodology)
unchanged YoY
YoY Change
unchanged
percentage points
Trend
neutral
Series length
35
years of data

Data

United Arab Emirates Unemployment Rate (ILO, % of Labor Force) (2025) — source data. World Bank.
Year % of labor force (ILO methodology) YoY Change
2025 2.2 unchanged
2024 2.2 unchanged
2023 2.2 -0.7pp
2022 2.9 -0.2pp
2021 3.1 -1.2pp
2020 4.3 +2pp
2019 2.3 +0.1pp
2018 2.2 -0.3pp
2017 2.5 +0.9pp
2016 1.6 -0.2pp
2015 1.8 -0.2pp
2014 2 -0.1pp
2013 2.1 -0.2pp
2012 2.3 -0.3pp
2011 2.6 -0.2pp
2010 2.8 -0.1pp
2009 2.9 +0.1pp
2008 2.8 -0.1pp
2007 2.9 -0.1pp
2006 3 -0.1pp

About this Dataset

United Arab Emirates recorded 2.2 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2025. That is unchanged on the previous period. Across 1991–2025 the series ranges from 1.6 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 1991 to 4.3 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2020.

This page tracks the unemployment rate (ILO methodology) in United Arab Emirates. ILO-consistent unemployment allows direct cross-country comparison of labour market slack on a standardised basis.

Data sourced from World Bank via Open Data API. Values use World Bank standardised methodology intended for cross-country comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page tracks the unemployment rate (ILO methodology) in United Arab Emirates. ILO-consistent unemployment allows direct cross-country comparison of labour market slack on a standardised basis. It is published by World Bank and updated annually.

The most recent observation covers 2025. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1991–2025 (35 observations).

The series peaked at 4.3 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2020 and reached its lowest recorded value of 1.6 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 1991. The latest reading is 2.2 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2025. That is unchanged on the previous period.