Saudi Arabia’s workforce in 2024: 78,000 women in senior roles, 551,000 entrepreneurs

Dubai: Saudi women are expanding their presence in the workforce, leadership roles, and entrepreneurship, according to new data released by the General Authority for Statistics in recognition of International Women’s Day.

The report shows that 36.2 per cent of Saudi women were active in the labor force as of the third quarter of 2024, with an employment-to-population ratio of 31.3 per cent. 

More Saudi women are also taking on leadership roles. In 2024, 78,356 women held senior management positions, while 551,318 registered businesses in 2023. 

Freelance work is on the rise, with 449,725 Saudi women securing freelance permits in 2023. Meanwhile, the tourism sector saw an increase in female employment, with 111,259 Saudi women working in tourism-related jobs in 2024.