The figures highlight the male-dominated workforce, with 78.7% of workers being men and 21.3% women. Meanwhile, GCC nationals account for just 17.6% of the total workforce, numbering 5.6 million, with 60% males and 40% females.
Despite ongoing localization efforts, the government sector remains the largest employer of Gulf nationals, with 83.5% of local workers employed in public administration roles, compared to just 14.2% in the private sector. The services sector remains the primary industry for GCC nationals.
GCC nations continue to implement policies to boost local workforce participation, including:
Gulf Common Market initiatives to enhance job opportunities for nationals
Industrial workforce development to increase national contributions to manufacturing
Population strategy reforms to empower women in the labor market
A focus on youth employment and the transition to green, sustainable jobs
