Third Edition of Global Labor Market Conference Concludes with 90 Agreements

The third edition of the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) 2026 concluded today at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center in Riyadh, under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The two-day event drew over 10,000 participants, including 40 labor ministers and more than 200 international experts and speakers from over 100 countries.

Held under the theme “Future in Progress” and organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD), GLMC 2026 saw the signing of 90 strategic agreements and memoranda of understanding between government entities and private sector partners. These initiatives aim to strengthen the labor market and are expected to benefit more than 6 million people within Saudi Arabia and beyond.

The agreements focused on four main areas:

1. Skills development and leadership capacity-building, through international training partnerships and professional accreditation programs.

2. Digital transformation and technology adoption, including AI, automation, digital services, and cybersecurity initiatives.

3. Flexible employment and freelance opportunities, connecting individuals with new economic prospects.

4. Sectoral and sustainable development partnerships, linking training directly to labor market needs and supporting local economies.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnein, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, emphasized that GLMC is more than an annual conference, serving as a continuous platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration throughout the year.

GLMC 2026 also released two major reports in collaboration with the World Bank. The first, “What Works for Work: A Guidebook to Proven and Promising Employment Solutions,” offers policymakers practical tools to design effective labor market programs amid rapid economic and technological changes. The second, “A Decade of Progress,” provides a detailed review of Saudi Arabia’s labor market transformation over the past ten years, highlighting achievements under Vision 2030 and structural reforms that enhanced employment efficiency and inclusivity.

The conference opened with a high-level ministerial roundtable chaired by Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, attended by 40 labor ministers and the Director-General of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The ministers agreed on six key measures to shape the future of work globally.

Other highlights included the graduation of the first cohort of the Labor Market Academy with 36 graduates from 34 countries and the launch of the second cohort, featuring participants from 31 countries. A Policy Hackathon focused on first-job opportunities, aligning skills with market needs and improving employment system efficiency.

Side events included celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the “Musaned” platform, showcasing its transformative impact on Saudi Arabia’s domestic labor sector, and the launch of the Career Guidance platform under the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF).

The success of GLMC 2026 underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to innovation, partnerships, and workforce empowerment, aiming for sustainable, flexible, and inclusive labor markets. The conference’s conclusion marks the beginning of a new phase centered on policy development and preparing the labor market for future economic and technological transformations.