UAE: Percentage distribution of total employed population (aged 15 and above) by sex and major occupation category (2023)

Emiratis Non-Emiratis Total
Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total
Managers NA NA NA NA NA NA 11.4% 11.8% 11.5%
Professionals NA NA NA NA NA NA 11.8% 24.3% 14.7%
Technicians and Associate Professionals NA NA NA NA NA NA 9.6% 13.4% 10.5%
Clerical Support Workers NA NA NA NA NA NA 4.1% 8.6% 5.1%
Services and Sales Workers NA NA NA NA NA NA 14.5% 10.8% 13.7%
Skilled Agriculteral, Forestry and Fishery Workers NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.3% 0.0% 1.0%
Craft and Related Trades Workers NA NA NA NA NA NA 19.7% 0.5% 15.3%
Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers NA NA NA NA NA NA 8.8% 0.7% 7.0%
Elementary Occupations NA NA NA NA NA NA 17.0% 26.6% 19.2%
Not Stated NA NA NA NA NA NA 1.7% 3.2% 2.0%
Total NA NA NA NA NA NA 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

Source: Federal Competitiveness and Statistitics Center (FCSC), Labour Force Survey 2023

ANNEXED NOTE

1. Characteristics of data, definitions and population counting operations in the UAE

Since 2016, the UAE Federal Competitiveness and Statistitics Center (FCSC)
resumed the implementation of Labour Force Surveys. The last one was conducted in 2009.

Methodology:
Labour Force Surveys are based on field surveys.

Definition of employed person:
“15 years old and above, who have worked in the week prior the interview at least one hour for payment”.

No more metadata and methodological indications for the current Labour Force Surveys are available.
https://fcsc.gov.ae/methodology/

Classification of occupations used: International Standard of Occupation ISCO 08

Since 2020, Labour Force Surveys’ publications stopped including data disaggregated by nationality (national/non-national). 

2. Institution which provides data 

Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC)
https://fcsc.gov.ae/

3. Data availability

The data is taken from the “Demography and Social” section of FCSC’s website
https://fcsc.gov.ae/#report-tvDetails
then “labour force”
https://fcsc.gov.ae/uae-stat-sub-category/?label=Labor%20Force&value=0%7CLabour%20Force%23LFS_LF%23
The results of 2008, 2009, 2016 to 2023 Labour Force Surveys are available (in Excel format) inthe section
2023 report: last year available on FCSC website as of the date of reference below.

Last date of access: 06 March 2026.

Keywords: United Arab Emirates, Labour Market, Employment, Female Employment

GLMM and GRC cannot guarantee that the link to access the source will not change;
that the information will not be removed from the website it was obtained from;
that no geo-blockages will be imposed; or that the information will not be available for any another reason.