Kuwait Youth Unemployment
Youth unemployment (ages 15-24) SL.UEM.1524.ZS
Kuwait's youth unemployment was 15.06% in 2025, ranked 106th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Kuwait's youth unemployment stood at 15.06% in 2025, a decline of +0.09pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 14.02% by 2026. Kuwait ranked 106th globally.
Kuwait’s youth unemployment rate has risen sharply from a low of 3.25 % in 1991 to an all‑time peak of 19.06 % in 2020, before easing to 15.06 % in 2025, placing the country 106th globally. The 1999 trough of 2.61 % marked a brief period of relative labor market stability, but the subsequent surge reflects structural challenges such as a reliance on oil‑linked public sector jobs and a growing cohort of university graduates. Compared with peers, Kuwait’s 2025 rate is marginally lower than Kenya’s 15.25 % and Fiji’s 15.21 % but higher than the United Kingdom’s 14.65 %, underscoring a regional disparity in youth labor absorption. The prolonged upward trajectory since the early 2000s suggests that without diversification of the private sector, investment in vocational training, and reforms to align education with market needs, the youth unemployment rate may remain elevated, though targeted policy interventions could begin to reverse the trend.
Data & projection
| Year | Youth Unemployment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 12.93% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 13.47% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 14.02% | - | - |
| 2025 | 15.06% | −0.09pp | #106 |
| 2024 | 15.15% | +0.05pp | #108 |
| 2023 | 15.09% | −0.10pp | #106 |
| 2022 | 15.19% | −2.57pp | #106 |
| 2021 | 17.76% | −1.30pp | #115 |
| 2020 | 19.06% | +3.84pp | #113 |
| 2019 | 15.22% | −0.00pp | #105 |
| 2018 | 15.22% | −0.03pp | #108 |
| 2017 | 15.26% | +0.11pp | #104 |
| 2016 | 15.14% | −1.04pp | #99 |
| 2015 | 16.18% | +0.72pp | #99 |
| 2014 | 15.46% | +1.83pp | #97 |
| 2013 | 13.64% | +1.64pp | #85 |
| 2012 | 11.99% | +1.70pp | #80 |
| 2011 | 10.30% | +1.71pp | #73 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Kuwait matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2012. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw youth unemployment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Kuwait's youth unemployment was 15.06% in 2025. Ranked 106th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from the previous year.
Kuwait's youth unemployment peaked at 19.06% in 2020.
The lowest youth unemployment in Kuwait was 2.61% in 1999.
Kuwait ranks 106th globally in youth unemployment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.1524.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Kuwait's youth unemployment is projected to reach 14.02% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The youth unemployment of Kuwait in 2025 was 15.06%. This ranks 106th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_kuwait_youth-unemployment,
title = {Kuwait Youth Unemployment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/kuwait/youth-unemployment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}