Under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Riyadh will host the third edition of the International Labor Market Conference, organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development on Jan. 26-27, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center.
This year’s conference, held under the theme, “Shaping the Future,” will bring together senior policymakers, business leaders, labor-market experts, and representatives of international organizations to develop shared visions on the future of work and explore forward-looking solutions to global labor-market challenges.
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmad Al-Rajhi said the event has become a prominent global platform for constructive dialogue on the future of labor markets. He added that the conference reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation and developing innovative solutions that enhance labor-market resilience and empower workforces worldwide.
Deputy Minister for Labor Affairs Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain told Asharq Al-Awsat that the third edition will be “broader and more in-depth” than previous years, both in academic content and in the scale of international participation.
The theme “Shaping the Future,” he said, signals the conference’s transformation from a venue for exchanging expertise into a space for generating actionable, practical solutions. More than 45 ministers are expected to participate in a dedicated ministerial session, alongside over 200 international speakers and 7,000 participants, across a program featuring more than 50 sessions and events.
According to Abuthnain, the conference will introduce innovative formats, including legislative-transformation sessions, solution-focused hackathons, and a youth-research track.
The conference agenda will address major global shifts reshaping the future of work, from technological development and artificial intelligence to employment flexibility and the informal economy. Special focus will be placed on future skills, the demands of the new economy, the impact of automation, job quality, and the workforce’s ability to adapt to crises. Saudi Arabia’s labor-market reforms under Vision 2030 - including digital-skills development, women’s empowerment, and job-quality enhancement - will feature prominently.
Abuthnain said the conference has become an effective platform for signing agreements and memoranda of understanding. The upcoming edition will see a significant expansion of partnerships with international institutions, including the World Bank, UN agencies, and the OECD, aimed at strengthening data systems, supporting skills development, and building more effective social-protection frameworks.
He continued that the Labor Market Academy, launched during the previous edition, has become a cornerstone of the conference’s knowledge agenda and a global training platform for policymakers. It will celebrate the graduation of its first cohort this year after delivering advanced programs on labor-market analysis, policy design, skills-economy alignment, and digital-transformation readiness.
Since its launch in 2023, the conference has evolved into a year-round global knowledge platform, supported by initiatives such as the Global Labor Market Academy and its partnerships with the World Bank and Takamol Holding.
