Economics
Saudi Unemployment Falls to 3-Year Low While Expat Exodus Slows
- Government has struggled to lower jobless rate for citizens
- Latest data show more Saudis in private and public sectors
Men and women shop at a mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Photographer: Tasneem Alsultan/Bloomberg
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Saudi Arabia’s citizen unemployment rate fell to the lowest in more than three years as the kingdom’s non-oil economy recovers.
Joblessness slipped to 12% in the third quarter from 12.3% in the previous three months, according to data published Sunday by the official General Authority for Statistics. The quarterly data showed improvements across the board, with more Saudis working in both the public and private sectors and unemployment dropping for men and women.