More young Bahrainis entered the workforce last year as the kingdom’s unemployment rate dropped from 6.2 per cent in 2024 to 5.6pc last year.
According to recently released figures on Bahrain’s Open Data Portal, citizens between the ages of 25 and 29 saw the most significant drop in unemployment, as the country’s job market approached pre-Covid-19 stability at the end of 2025.
The unemployment rate, which hit a peak of 6.49pc in April 2025, dropped by the end of the year, particularly in the latter half, after His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, directed the Labour Ministry to offer three job opportunities to every registered Bahraini employment applicant before the end of the year.
The GDN previously reported that HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister had affirmed in September last year that all efforts, united under Team Bahrain, are dedicated to realising the far-reaching vision of His Majesty King Hamad, with citizens remaining at the core of the kingdom’s comprehensive development.
HRH Prince Salman had noted that providing appropriate employment opportunities for Bahraini citizens represents one of the most important priorities and objectives of the kingdom’s wide-ranging development.
He had expressed pride in Bahrain’s national workforce, recognising their diligence, hard work and dedication, which have significantly contributed to the kingdom’s ongoing development.
By December 31 last year, 18,657 jobseekers had been offered three opportunities and attended three or more interviews at the ministry. A total of 4,746 were employed through vacancies posted on the National Employment Platform in response to the Royal directive.
Vacancies leading to employment were submitted by 2,863 establishments.
At the end of 2024, a total of 17,402 Bahrainis were unemployed, of whom 5,206 were males and 12,196 were females.
By the end of last year, this number dropped to 15,433, of whom 4,483 were men and 10,950 were women.
Bahrain’s workforce fluctuated between 275,000 and 280,000 throughout this period.
Unemployment among women dropped from 10.03pc to 8.86pc, while corresponding rates among men saw a drop from 3.23pc to 2.7pc.
The most dramatic improvements occurred among young Bahrainis.
Among those aged 15 to 19, the demographic saw a massive reduction, from 41.90pc in 2024 to 24.51pc in 2025, either due to more job opportunities for those with secondary school diplomas or more young Bahrainis electing to pursue higher education.
Bahrainis, aged 25 to 29 also saw a substantial drop in unemployment, decreasing from 18.55pc in 2024 to 10.82pc in 2025.
The GDN has previously reported that 33,400 job vacancies were announced through the National Employment Platform in 2025, according to Labour and Legal Affairs Minister Yousif Khalaf.
In a response to MPs during April this year, the minister revealed significant labour movement in the private sector in 2025 – 9,149 new entrants were employed, 7,166 returned to work after being unemployed for more than six months, 4,239 returned after two to six months of unemployment, and 6,409 moved directly from one private sector job to another.
A concerning trend that has persisted since 2016 is the high concentration of educated women with bachelor’s degrees who are unable to find employment.
In 2016, 62.8pc of unemployed women held bachelor’s degrees, and in 2025, the percentage shot up to 78.2pc.
Throughout the 2010s, unemployment hovered between 3.1pc and 5.1pc, but the Covid-19 pandemic saw this surge dramatically, hitting an all-time high of 7.7pc in April 2021.
This has since been on a downward trajectory as the economy recovered and new government initiatives to boost employment were rolled out.
naman@gdnmedia.bh
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