Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 03 of 18 · Country Index 2026
United Arab Emirates: Work & Labour
Can people find work, and on what terms?
United Arab Emirates is placed 10th of 182 countries on work & labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Employment-to-Population Ratio 76.89 (2025); Labour Income Share 36.84 (2025).
Share
Work & Labour
10th
of 182 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place United Arab Emirates on work & labour — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Employment-to-Population Ratio
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
76.89
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)
Higher is better
United Arab Emirates: 76.89. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 21.21 (São Tomé and Príncipe) to 86.9 (Qatar); the world median is 57.72.
- World median
- 57.72
- Best in Western Asia
- 86.9 Qatar
- Land neighbours
- Oman 66.15 · Saudi Arabia 63.12
Key 3 of 4
Unemployment Rate
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
2.174
Unemployment (% of labour force)
Lower is better
United Arab Emirates: 2.174. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.13 (Qatar) to 34.2 (Eswatini); the world median is 5.084.
- World median
- 5.084
- Best in Western Asia
- 0.13 Qatar
- Land neighbours
- Oman 3.251 · Saudi Arabia 3.038
Key 4 of 4
Vulnerable Employment
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
1.501
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment)
Lower is better
United Arab Emirates: 1.501. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.456 (Qatar) to 90.22 (Chad); the world median is 28.67.
- World median
- 28.67
- Best in Western Asia
- 0.456 Qatar
- Land neighbours
- Oman 3.813 · Saudi Arabia 1.662
02Over time
Which way United Arab Emirates is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Employment-to-Population Ratio
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%) · higher is better
United Arab EmiratesWorld median
United Arab Emirates rose from 72.83 in 2000 to 76.89 in 2025; the world median went from 55.86 to 57.72.
Every year’s figures
Year United Arab Emirates World median 2025 76.885 57.720 2024 76.789 57.694 2023 76.681 58.158 2022 75.023 57.688 2021 74.661 56.066 2020 75.398 55.691 2019 77.614 57.871 2018 77.339 56.911 2017 76.820 56.738 2016 77.160 56.845 2015 76.599 56.788 2014 76.119 56.774 2013 75.691 56.229 2012 75.256 56.289 2011 74.881 56.297 2010 74.498 56.212 2009 74.350 56.255 2008 74.887 57.308 2007 75.051 56.933 2006 74.934 56.685 2005 74.315 56.129 2004 73.803 55.465 2003 73.280 55.630 2002 72.996 55.843 2001 72.825 56.018 2000 72.831 55.861 Labour Income Share
Labour income share of GDP (%) · higher is better
United Arab EmiratesWorld median
United Arab Emirates rose from 23.83 in 2004 to 36.84 in 2025; the world median went from 46.01 to 46.23.
Every year’s figures
Year United Arab Emirates World median 2025 36.84 46.230 2024 37.06 46.060 2023 36.85 45.900 2022 34.26 45.615 2021 37.08 45.433 2020 41.51 47.267 2019 35.81 46.277 2018 32.63 46.187 2017 33.91 46.467 2016 33.79 46.798 2015 31.64 46.876 2014 26.13 47.281 2013 25.55 46.887 2012 23.87 46.231 2011 23.66 45.679 2010 26.40 46.024 2009 27.93 47.071 2008 23.41 45.312 2007 22.98 45.246 2006 20.47 45.670 2005 22.15 46.265 2004 23.83 46.012 Unemployment Rate
Unemployment (% of labour force) · lower is better
United Arab EmiratesWorld median
United Arab Emirates fell from 2.25 in 2000 to 2.174 in 2025; the world median went from 6.918 to 5.084.
Every year’s figures
Year United Arab Emirates World median 2025 2.174 5.08 2024 2.160 5.15 2023 2.151 5.21 2022 2.872 5.34 2021 3.105 6.04 2020 4.294 6.38 2019 2.331 5.36 2018 2.236 5.35 2017 2.462 5.59 2016 1.640 5.90 2015 1.793 6.41 2014 1.999 6.58 2013 2.125 6.71 2012 2.323 6.79 2011 2.587 6.90 2010 2.798 7.04 2009 2.932 6.67 2008 2.818 5.79 2007 2.934 6.00 2006 2.964 6.50 2005 3.120 7.09 2004 2.965 6.80 2003 2.903 6.95 2002 2.659 6.91 2001 2.443 6.96 2000 2.250 6.92 Vulnerable Employment
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment) · lower is better
United Arab EmiratesWorld median
United Arab Emirates rose from 0.229 in 2000 to 1.501 in 2025; the world median went from 35.67 to 28.67.
Every year’s figures
Year United Arab Emirates World median 2025 1.5011 28.67 2024 1.5791 29.04 2023 1.6037 29.33 2022 1.1460 29.67 2021 1.1035 30.01 2020 1.4335 30.54 2019 1.4048 29.98 2018 0.9530 30.15 2017 0.7515 29.93 2016 0.8081 29.91 2015 0.7797 30.26 2014 0.5718 30.47 2013 0.6363 31.14 2012 0.5611 31.00 2011 0.4831 31.41 2010 0.6075 32.37 2009 0.5252 32.59 2008 0.3182 31.76 2007 0.2878 33.47 2006 0.2604 34.27 2005 0.2462 34.66 2004 0.2508 35.51 2003 0.2747 35.90 2002 0.2755 35.96 2001 0.2356 35.27 2000 0.2288 35.67
03In context
United Arab Emirates beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 182 countries on work & labour, never a place within the region.
United Arab Emirates and the countries it borders
Standing among all 182; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Employment-to-Population RatioEmployed share of the population aged 15+ (%) | Labour Income ShareLabour income share of GDP (%) | Unemployment RateUnemployment (% of labour force) | Vulnerable EmploymentVulnerable employment (% of total employment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 10th | 76.89 | 36.84 | 2.174 | 1.501 |
 Oman | 43rd | 66.15 | 30.86 | 3.251 | 3.813 |
 Saudi Arabiacompare | 45th | 63.12 | 30.23 | 3.038 | 1.662 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Western Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 182.
Placed either side on work & labour
The countries immediately above and below United Arab Emirates in the topic’s list.
Netherlands7th
Belarus=8th
Qatar=8th- United Arab Emirates10th
Moldova11th
Kuwait12th
Russia13th
04Context, no vote
Where United Arab Emirates is ahead of the world, and behind
17 more statistics filed under work & labour, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median6
Statistics on which United Arab Emirates does better than the middle country measured.
Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 61.6678.5961.66No real change since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 78.59 · world median 61.66 · Population aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.34 to 87.01; higher is better.
Position 12th of 182 · derived.
Human Capital Wealth per CapitaWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 25,230236,33125,230No real change since 2010
United Arab Emirates: 236,331 · world median 25,230 · Human capital per person — present value of future earnings (real chained 2019 US$). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 700.38 to 735,422; higher is better.
Position 22nd of 151 · derived.
Informal Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 36.763.97536.76No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 3.975 · world median 36.76 · Informal employment (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.857 to 94.44; lower is better.
Position 79th of 97 · derived, 1st = worst.
Youth Unemployment RateILO · 2025 · world median 12.836.45112.83▼ Worsened since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 6.451 · world median 12.83 · Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.457 to 76.77; lower is better.
Position 146th of 182 · derived, 1st = worst.
Labour Productivity per Hour WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 22.1641.2422.16▼ Worsened since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 41.24 · world median 22.16 · Output per hour worked (constant 2021 international $ at PPP). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.92 to 164.65; higher is better.
Position 54th of 182 · derived.
Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 00.40No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 0.4 · world median 0 · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Behind the world median5
Statistics on which United Arab Emirates does worse than the middle country measured.
Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3653.0353.36▲ Improved since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 53.03 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.
Position 93rd of 182 · derived.
Length of Paid Paternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 303▼ Worsened since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 0 · world median 3 · Paid paternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 196; higher is better.
Length of Paid Maternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 986098▲ Improved since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 60 · world median 98 · Paid maternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 410; higher is better.
Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 45.9345.9No earlier reading
United Arab Emirates: 3 · world median 45.9 · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Compliance with Labour RightsILO · 2024 · world median 1.61101.61No real change since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 10 · world median 1.61 · Compliance with freedom of association and collective bargaining rights (0 = best, 10 = worst). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 10; lower is better.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8948.2938.89Moved since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 48.29 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 6th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in IndustryILO · 2025 · world median 18.8830.5918.88Moved since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 30.59 · world median 18.88 · Employment in industry (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 3.103 to 39.44.
Position 19th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in ServicesILO · 2025 · world median 59.5167.9759.51Moved since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 67.97 · world median 59.51 · Employment in services (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.56 to 92.17.
Position 67th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in AgricultureILO · 2025 · world median 14.381.43814.38Moved since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 1.438 · world median 14.38 · Employment in agriculture (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.095 to 85.34.
Position 166th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Self-Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 31.845.06631.84No real change since 2015
United Arab Emirates: 5.066 · world median 31.84 · Self-employed (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.832 to 91.56.
Position 177th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Share of Temporary EmployeesILO · 2024 · world median 13.450.33713.45No real change since 2017
United Arab Emirates: 0.337 · world median 13.45 · Employees on temporary contracts (% of employees). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.337 to 72.78.
No current reading for United Arab Emirates
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker (last 2024), Average Monthly Earnings of Employees (last 2009), Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4) (last 2019), Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Share of Senior and Middle Management (last 2022), Firms Competing Against Informal Firms, Firms Offering Formal Training, Firms with a Female Top Manager, GDP per Person Employed (last 2024), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Low Pay Rate, Public Sector Employment, Statutory Minimum Wage, Trade Union Density, Working Poverty Rate and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (last 2023). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Work & Labour among United Arab Emirates’s 14 topics
Work & Labour is United Arab Emirates’s 3rd best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Education & Knowledge1st of 1982/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 3rd of 1593/3 keys
- Work & Labour10th of 1824/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing13th of 2003/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade14th of 1774/4 keys
- Digital & Technology26th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 34th of 1773/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 37th of 1843/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions58th of 1944/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital64th of 1963/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience75th of 1934/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties148th of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equality143rd of 1832/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability173rd of 1863/4 keys
No standing on Economy & Innovation, Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on work & labour
The three countries placed highest of 182, and the leaders United Arab Emirates can most readily be measured against.
1
IcelandNorthern Europe
1st of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
South KoreaEastern Asia
3rd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Japan2nd4/4 keysHighest in Western Asia
Qatar=8th4/4 keysThis page
United Arab Emirates10th4/4 keys
Positions out of 182 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about United Arab Emirates and work & labour
On work & labour
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Highest Average Salaries in 2024
The ten highest-paying countries of 2024, their bars coloured by continent, and six more added for comparison — from Australia in 13th place to India in 85th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Lowest Average Salaries in 2024
The bottom ten of 196 countries, and six more added for comparison. Niger, Madagascar and Liberia are all published at US$47 a month and still carry three different ranks.
08Questions
United Arab Emirates on work & labour: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does United Arab Emirates rank on work & labour?
United Arab Emirates is placed 10th of 182 countries on Work & Labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Employment-to-Population Ratio, Labour Income Share, Unemployment Rate and Vulnerable Employment). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Employment-to-Population Ratio figure for United Arab Emirates?
76.89 in 2025 (employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 57.72.
What is the latest Labour Income Share figure for United Arab Emirates?
36.84 in 2025 (labour income share of GDP (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 46.23.
How does United Arab Emirates compare with Saudi Arabia on work & labour?
Saudi Arabia is placed 45th of 182, and United Arab Emirates 10th. Employment-to-Population Ratio: Saudi Arabia 63.12, United Arab Emirates 76.89; Labour Income Share: Saudi Arabia 30.23, United Arab Emirates 36.84; Unemployment Rate: Saudi Arabia 3.038, United Arab Emirates 2.174; Vulnerable Employment: Saudi Arabia 1.662, United Arab Emirates 1.501.
How have United Arab Emirates’s work & labour figures changed?
Employment-to-Population Ratio rose from 72.83 in 2000 to 76.89 in 2025; Labour Income Share rose from 23.83 in 2004 to 36.84 in 2025; Unemployment Rate fell from 2.25 in 2000 to 2.174 in 2025; Vulnerable Employment rose from 0.229 in 2000 to 1.501 in 2025.
Which work & labour statistics are missing for United Arab Emirates?
No current reading is published for United Arab Emirates on Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker, Average Monthly Earnings of Employees, Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4), Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Share of Senior and Middle Management, Firms Competing Against Informal Firms, Firms Offering Formal Training, Firms with a Female Top Manager, GDP per Person Employed, Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Low Pay Rate, Public Sector Employment, Statutory Minimum Wage, Trade Union Density, Working Poverty Rate and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Wages in money terms are not a key here, because pay figures are hard to compare fairly across countries with very different prices. Labour productivity, working hours, youth unemployment and the balance between farming, industry and services are published on this page as context. The size and growth of the wider economy belong to Economy & Innovation.
How the Work & Labour standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The work & labour method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Employment-to-Population Ratio — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Labour Income Share — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Unemployment Rate — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Vulnerable Employment — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
The other 17 statistics on this page come from 2 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
United Arab Emirates’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- United Arab Emirates (banner) — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iceland — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). United Arab Emirates: Work & Labour — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/united-arab-emirates/work