Rising Employment Opportunities for Women in Saudi Arabia Amid Economic Diversification
Despite challenges posed by declining oil revenues, Saudi Arabia’s job market is witnessing significant growth, particularly in the private sector. In 2023 alone, the country saw a surge of over 100,000 new jobs, reflecting efforts to diversify the economy away from oil dependency.
The National Labor Observatory reports an 11.5 percent increase in employment in 2023 compared to the previous year, with women constituting 37 percent of the newly employed workforce. Industries such as manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing have experienced notable expansion, generating 719,300 new job opportunities. Moreover, there has been a remarkable uptick in the establishment of new firms, particularly in transportation and warehousing (over 94,500 new firms) and wholesale and retail trade (73,300 new firms).
As of the latest statistics, the private sector in Saudi Arabia employs a total of 11.1 million workers, comprising 2.3 million native Saudis and 8.8 million foreigners. Among female employees, 961,690 are Saudis, indicating a growing presence of Saudi women in the workforce, alongside 348,892 female foreign workers. Notably, there has been an increase in the number of newly employed Saudi nationals, reflecting efforts to enhance domestic employment opportunities.
These trends underscore Saudi Arabia’s commitment to diversifying its economy and creating inclusive job opportunities, particularly for women. With ongoing initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on oil revenues and fostering economic growth, the outlook for employment in the kingdom appears promising, with more opportunities on the horizon.
