173,000 people will stop receiving social security benefits in Saudi Arabia in Q3 2025
The latest data issued by the General Authority for Statistics in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia showed a noticeable movement in the labor market, as the figures revealed that the number of those who stopped subscribing to the social insurance systems reached about 173,200 people during the third quarter of 2025. This data comes within the framework of the periodic monitoring of the movement of the workforce, which reflects the dynamism of the market and the natural movement of jobs in light of the economic transformations that the Kingdom is witnessing.
Subscriber movement details by nationality
In a more detailed breakdown of the figures, the data revealed a disparity in the rates of subscription cancellations between citizens and expatriates. Saudis who canceled their subscriptions constituted 52% of the total cases, equivalent to 90,900 subscribers, while the number of expatriates who canceled their subscriptions reached approximately 82,300, representing 48% of the total. Economic experts indicate that these cancellations are often linked to job changes, retirement, or the final departure of expatriate workers—a healthy indicator in open and flexible markets.
Workforce and private sector growth
In a broader sense, the General Authority for Statistics confirmed the strength of the Saudi labor market, as the total number of active subscribers subject to social insurance systems in the public and private sectors reached about 13.2 million subscribers by the end of the third quarter of 2025. These figures are tangible evidence of the expansion of the economic base and the market’s ability to absorb more human resources.
In a related context, regarding localization efforts and empowering national talent, statistics indicate that the number of Saudis employed and registered with social insurance reached approximately 3 million workers, representing 23% of the total registered workforce. This percentage reflects the success of localization programs and human resources initiatives aimed at increasing citizen participation in economic development.
Private sector dominance and geographical distribution
The data highlighted the pivotal role of the private sector as a primary driver of employment in the Kingdom. The number of private sector employees registered with the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) constituted an overwhelming 95% of the total registered workforce, reaching 12.6 million subscribers. In contrast, the number of registered government sector employees subject to social insurance reached approximately 636,000. Meanwhile, the number of expatriate workers reached approximately 10.2 million, representing 77% of the total registered workforce. This reflects the continued need for expertise and expatriate labor in major development projects.
Geographically, the Riyadh region accounted for the lion's share of economic and employment activity, comprising 49% of insured individuals, totaling approximately 6.5 million subscribers. This was followed by the Eastern Province with 2.5 million subscribers, and then the Makkah region with approximately 2.2 million subscribers. This distribution reflects the economic concentration in the capital and major industrial and commercial areas, highlighting the importance of these regions as attractive hubs for investment and employment.
