Saudi Arabia: Employed population by nationality (Saudi /non-Saudi) and sex (Q1 2017-Q1 2024)

 

Saudis

Non-Saudis

Total

Males

Females

Total

Males

Females

Total

Males

Females

Total

2017 Q1

2,021,865

1,017,080

3,038,945

9,859,039

991,153

10,850,192

11,880,904

2,008,233

13,889,137

2017 Q2

2,029,786

1,022,663

3,052,449

9,777,916

1,010,793

10,788,709

11,807,702

2,033,456

13,841,158

2017 Q3

2,035,745

1,027,999

3,063,744

9,674,729

1,019,591

10,694,320

11,710,474

2,047,590

13,758,064

2017 Q4

2,080,601

1,083,245

3,163,846

9,442,163

975,132

10,417,295

11,522,764

2,058,377

13,581,141

2018 Q1

2,067,976

1,082,433

3,150,409

9,231,869

951,235

10,183,104

11,299,845

2,033,668

13,333,513

2018 Q2

2,053,189

1,072,154

3,125,343

8,927,862

964,861

9,892,723

10,981,051

2,037,015

13,018,066

2018 Q3

2,043,585

1,066,402

3,109,987

8,622,890

955,165

9,578,055

10,666,475

2,021,567

12,688,042

2018 Q4

2,040,742

1,070,457

3,111,199

8,356,943

1,072,476

9,429,419

10,397,685

2,142,933

12,540,618

2019 Q1

2,036,142

1,075,887

3,112,029

8,458,199

1,195,013

9,653,212

10,494,341

2,270,900

12,765,241

2019 Q2

2,027,964

1,062,284

3,090,248

8,529,419

1,237,365

9,766,784

10,557,383

2,299,649

12,857,032

2019 Q3

2,023,910

1,076,902

3,100,812

8,572,339

1,254,757

9,827,096

10,596,249

2,331,659

12,927,908

2019 Q4

2,054,858

1,115,414

3,170,272

8,792,516

1,428,187

10,220,703

10,847,374

2,543,601

13,390,975

2020 Q1

2,066,553

1,136,870

3,203,423

9,092,998

1,339,191

10,432,189

11,159,551

2,476,061

13,635,612

2020 Q2

2,055,767

1,115,655

3,171,422

9,101,286

1,357,746

10,459,032

11,157,053

2,473,401

13,630,454

2020 Q3

2,100,702

1,152,574

3,253,276

8,866,940

1,334,922

10,201,862

10,967,642

2,487,496

13,455,138

2020 Q4

2,079,331

1,172,867

3,252,198

8,753,985

1,312,515

10,066,500

10,833,316

2,485,382

13,318,698

2021 Q1

2,081,446

1,225,152

3,306,598

8,773,896

1,403,319

10,177,215

10,855,342

2,628,471

13,483,813

2021 Q2

2,098,831

1,181,183

3,280,014

8,449,536

1,170,338

9,619,874

10,548,367

2,351,521

12,899,888

2021 Q3

2,127,551

1,215,287

3,342,838

8,244,566

1,118,241

9,362,807

10,372,117

2,333,528

12,705,645

2021 Q4

2,180,320

1,269,737

3,450,057

8,481,117

1,114,064

9,595,181

10,661,437

2,383,801

13,045,238

2022 Q1

2,233,351

1,338,525

3,571,876

8,971,450

1,187,323

10,158,773

11,204,801

2,525,848

13,730,649

2022 Q2

2,262,535

1,375,609

3,638,144

9,320,979

1,210,640

10,531,619

11,583,514

2,586,249

14,169,763

2022 Q3

2,274,628

1,417,858

3,692,486

9,593,551

1,304,906

10,898,457

11,868,179

2,722,764

14,590,943

2022 Q4

2,300,070

1,470,561

3,770,631

9,672,933

1,314,794

10,987,727

11,973,003

2,785,355

14,758,358

2023 Q1

2,354,750

1,515,731

3,870,481

10,137,453

1,355,438

11,492,891

12,492,203

2,871,169

15,363,372

2023 Q2

2,338,735

1,518,362

3,857,097

10,202,131

1,395,840

11,597,971

12,540,866

2,914,202

15,455,068

2023 Q3

2,357,785

1,563,536

3,921,321

10,461,593

1,435,240

11,896,833

12,819,378

2,998,776

15,818,154

2023 Q4

2,333,023

1,582,224

3,915,247

10,482,543

1,489,714

11,972,257

12,815,566

3,071,938

15,887,504

2024 Q1

2,338,857

1,599,711

3,938,568

10,985,203

1,592,431

12,577,634

13,324,060

3,192,142

16,516,202

Source: Register-based Labour Market Statistics, General Authority for Statistics (GAStat)

1. Data collection methodology

LFS were first conducted in 2001 and became bi-annual after 2006. Data were collected through nationally representative household sample surveys, which sampling was based on most recent censuses. Since 2016, Labour Force Surveys have been conducted and published on a quarterly basis, based on a household telephone survey conducted by GAStat. Employment data extracted from administrative records were also introduced as a complement to the results of Labour Force Surveys in Labour Market Statistics publications, starting on Q1 2017.

The present data is taken from administrative records.

GAStat Labour Market Statistics: administrative records

Estimates of figures and characteristics of employment in Saudi Arabia are taken from administrative records from the following institutions:

– Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD)

(formerly Ministry of Labour and Social Development):

Supplies data on:

Employees on the job Subject to the rules and regulations of the Civil Service

– General Organization of Social Insurance (GOSI):

Supplies data on:

a. contributors on the job who are subject to social insurance laws and regulations in the private

and government sector;

b. new contributors, and contributors who terminated their contribution to social insurance during the quarter.

– National Information Center (NIC):

Supplies data on domestic workers (data owner: MHRSD).

Figures of workers in Labor Market Statistics which were derived from administrative records do not include the following categories:

  1. Workers in the military and security sectors

  2. Workers who are not registered in the civil service, social insurance (GOSI) and domestic workers’ records, which include:

– Saudis working for their own businesses and are not subjected to the labor regulations, also, not registered in social insurance, such as those who work in delivery through electronic apps

– Saudi employers who work in establishments and not registered in the social insurance

– Non-Saudi staff working in foreign international, political or military missions

3- Non-Saudi employees who come to the Kingdom for work that normally takes less than three months to be completed.

Definitions and categories used by GAStat in Labour Markets Statistics (employment; unemployment; occupation and activity sectors, etc.) are based on international standards:

For LFS methodology and definitions, see:

https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/node/9787

https://database.stats.gov.sa/Methodologies/En_Documents/03_Labor%20Market%20Bulletin%20Methodology,%20Fourth%20Quarter%202020%20_%20General%20Authority%20for%20Statistics.pdf

https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/node/9787

https://database.stats.gov.sa/Methodologies/En_Documents/03_Labor%20Market%20Bulletin%20Methodology,%20Fourth%20Quarter%202020%20_%20General%20Authority%20for%20Statistics.pdf

2. Institution which provides data

General Authority for Statistics (GAStat)

3. Data availability

Since 2021, GAStat has been publishing separately the employment data taken from administrative records, and unemployment/inactivity data as well as general indicators, calculated from the results of the field interviews conducted by GAStat (Labour Force Survey).

The present time-series was taken from the Register-based Labour Market Statistics– Q4, 2022

(English and Arabic versions)

https://www.stats.gov.sa/sites/default/files/LMS_2022_Q4_EN_1.xlsx

https://www.stats.gov.sa/sites/default/files/LMS_2022_Q4_AR_1.xlsx

and from relevant quarterly Register-based Labour Market Statistics reports for 2023 and 2024, accessible from:

https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/814

https://www.stats.gov.sa/ar/814

Date of access: 02 September 2024.

Keywords: Employment, Female Employment, Saudi Arabia, National & Foreign Labour

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