Saudi unemployment eases to 3.4% in Q3: GASTAT  

According to the General Authority for Statistics, the annual improvement came despite a 0.2 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. Shutterstock
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Updated 29 December 2025
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Saudi unemployment eases to 3.4% in Q3: GASTAT  

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s overall unemployment rate stood at 3.4 percent in the third quarter of this year, marking a 0.3 percentage point decline compared with the same period in 2024, official data showed. 

According to the General Authority for Statistics, the annual improvement came despite a 0.2 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. 

Saudi Arabia’s unemployment rate fell to a record low of 2.8 percent in the first quarter of the year before edging up to 3.2 percent in the second quarter and rising further in the third. 

The Kingdom’s strengthening labor market aligns with its Vision 2030 agenda, which aims to expand employment opportunities for citizens and support long-term economic growth. Reducing unemployment remains a central pillar of the broader socio-economic reform program. 

In its latest release, GASTAT stated: “The overall labor force participation rate (for Saudis and non-Saudis) reached 66.9 percent, showing a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to second quarter of 2025 and a yearly increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to the third quarter of 2024.”  

Among Saudi nationals, the rate of joblessness reached 7.5 percent in the third quarter, representing an annual decrease of 0.3 percentage points and a quarterly rise of 0.7 percentage points.  

Compared to the second quarter, the employment-to-population ratio for Saudis decreased by 0.6 percentage points to reach 45.3 percent. On a yearly basis, the ratio fell by 2.1 percentage points. 

“The labor force participation rate for Saudis in the third quarter of 2025 decreased by 0.2 percentage points compared to the second quarter, reaching 49 percent, and a decrease of 2.5 percentage points compared to the third quarter of 2024,” GASTAT said.  

Labor force participation of Saudi women stood at 33.7 percent in the third quarter, representing a 0.8 percentage point decline compared to the previous three months.  The employment-to-population ratio of Saudi women decreased by 0.9 percentage points to reach 29.7 percent.  

During the same period, the unemployment rate among Saudi women rose by 0.8 percentage points to 12.1 percent, compared with the previous quarter. 

Among Saudi men, the labor force participation rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 64.3 percent. 

GASTAT also reported that 95.3 percent of unemployed Saudis are willing to work in the private sector. About 70.6 percent of unemployed Saudi women and 86.7 percent of unemployed Saudi men said they were open to working eight hours or more per day. 

The survey found that 61 percent of unemployed Saudi women and 42.7 percent of unemployed Saudi men were willing to commute for at least one hour to reach their workplaces. 

Among job seekers, the most common active search method was directly applying to employers, used by 73.3 percent of respondents in the third quarter. About 59.4 percent used the National Employment Platform, known as Jadarat, while 50.5 percent searched for jobs by posting or updating CVs on social media platforms. 


Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

Updated 05 March 2026
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Saudi Maaden reports 156% profit surge to $2bn on strong commodity prices, record production

RIYADH: Saudi mining and metals company Maaden has reported a 156 percent jump in its net profit attributable to shareholders for 2025, driven by higher commodity prices, record production volumes, and a one-off bargain purchase gain.

The state-backed giant posted a net profit of SR7.35 billion ($1.95 billion) for the full year 2025, an increase from SR2.87 billion in the previous year. The firm’s revenue surged by 19 percent to SR38.58 billion, up from SR32.55 billion in 2024.

This comes as Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to expand its mining sector as a pillar of economic diversification, encouraging international participation and private investment to unlock the Kingdom’s estimated $2.5 trillion in untapped mineral resources under Vision 2030.    

In a statement on Tadawul, the company said: “Performance was led by record phosphate production, near record aluminum production, an increase in all three of Maaden’s main output commodity prices.”

The performance was also fueled by a 60 percent increase in gross profit, which reached SR14.79 billion. In its annual results announcement, Maaden attributed the top-line growth to “higher commodity market prices for phosphate, aluminum and gold business units,” as well as increased sales volumes in its phosphate and aluminum segments. This was partially offset by slightly lower sales volume in the gold unit.

Maaden’s CEO, Bob Wilt, hailed 2025 as a transformative year for the company, marked by strategic growth and operational excellence. “This was a great year for Maaden’s strategic growth. We delivered strong financial results and sustained operational excellence across the business,” he said in a statement.

“This was driven by growth in production across all businesses, including record-breaking DAP (di-ammonium phosphatevolumes), disciplined cost control across and a clear commitment to our role as a cornerstone of the Saudi economy,” Wilt added.

Profitability was further bolstered by an increased share of net profit from joint ventures and an associate. This included a one-off bargain purchase gain of SR768 million related to Maaden’s investment in Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. The company also benefited from lower finance costs.

The fourth quarter of 2025 was strong, with Maaden swinging to a net profit of SR1.67 billion, compared to a loss of SR106 million in the same period of the prior year. Quarterly revenue rose 7 percent to SR10.64 billion.

The firm achieved record production of di-ammonium phosphate, reaching 6.72 million tonnes for the year, a 9 percent increase. Aluminum production remained near-record levels, while the company added a net 7.8 million ounces to its reportable gold mineral resources through discovery and resource development.

The phosphate division saw sales jump 17 percent to SR20.77 billion, with the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization margin expanding to 47 percent. The aluminum business reported a 9 percent increase in sales to SR10.99 billion, with EBITDA more than doubling in the fourth quarter.

Looking ahead, Wilt emphasized that the pace of growth will accelerate as the company advances key initiatives, including the Phosphate 3 Phase 1 and Ar Rjum projects, which remain on budget and schedule. Maaden has also secured a gas supply for its future Phosphate 4 project.

“This pace of growth will only accelerate. Not only as we advance projects and increase the scale of our exploration program, but as we continue to grow production and implement technology that will further modernize, streamline and unlock value,” Wilt added.

Earnings per share for the year rose sharply to SR1.91, up from SR0.78 in 2024. Total shareholders’ equity increased by 18.7 percent to SR61.59 billion.