United Arab Emirates — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for United Arab Emirates, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for United Arab Emirates was 78.59% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 79.47% in 2019. The lowest was 74.35% in 1990 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.16% per year.
United Arab Emirates ranks 12 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 6%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 44.99%, so United Arab Emirates sits above it. It peaked in 2019 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 2 of 23 economies; Kuwait (73.36%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 24th of 187 in 1990 → 21st of 187 in 2000 → 17th of 187 in 2010 → 8th of 187 in 2020 → 12th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 78.59% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 78.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 78.37% | +1.1 pp |
| 2022 | 77.24% | +0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 77.05% | -1.7 pp |
| 2020 | 78.78% | -0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 79.47% | +0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 79.11% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 78.76% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 78.45% | +0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 78% | +0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 77.67% | +0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 77.33% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 77.05% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 76.87% | +0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 76.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 76.6% | -0.5 pp |
| 2008 | 77.06% | -0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 77.32% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 77.22% | +0.5 pp |
| 2005 | 76.71% | +0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 76.06% | +0.6 pp |
| 2003 | 75.47% | +0.5 pp |
| 2002 | 74.99% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 74.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 74.51% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 74.6% | -0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 74.88% | -0.5 pp |
| 1997 | 75.36% | -0.7 pp |
| 1996 | 76.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 76.16% | +0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 75.81% | +0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 75.48% | +0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 74.95% | +0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 74.65% | +0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 74.35% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Arab Emirates’s Labor participation in 1991?
74.65% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Arab Emirates’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +5.7% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 78.59%; 2024: 78.48%; 2023: 78.37%; 2022: 77.24%; 2021: 77.05%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.