Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Riyadh will host tomorrow the third edition of the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC). Held under the theme “Future in Progress,” the conference will bring together senior decision-makers, thought leaders, and labor market experts from around the world.
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi emphasized that hosting the third edition of GLMC under royal patronage underscores the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to its international role in advancing global dialogue on the future of work and addressing shared labor market challenges.
He noted that the conference serves as a global platform for exchanging expertise and building shared visions that support the development of flexible and inclusive labor policies, enhance workforce readiness, and strike a balance between economic growth and quality of life—aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
International Participation
This year’s conference will witness wide international participation, with more than 10,000 attendees from 100 countries, including over 40 labor ministers, as well as representatives from international organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions. The agenda features more than 200 speakers across 50+ sessions.
Strategic Partnerships
GLMC 2026 will take place over two days, 26–27 January 2026, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. The event is organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in strategic partnership with leading international organizations, including:
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
- World Bank
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- UN Tourism
- Labour Centre of the Organisation of Islamic Conference
- King’s Trust International (KTI)
- Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk)
These partnerships further reinforce the conference’s international dimension and enrich its outcomes.
Key Themes, Focus Areas
In its third edition, GLMC will focus on six main pillars reflecting the major transformations shaping global labor markets, including:
- Trade transformations and their impact on employment
- Informal economies
- The evolving global skills landscape
- The real impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and productivity
- Building resilient labor markets during crises
- Enhancing job quality, with a strong emphasis on youth as the cornerstone of the future economy
The conference will feature several key milestones, most notably the Ministerial Meeting, bringing together labor ministers from more than 40 countries to discuss practical and immediate employment solutions amid global change. Other activities include the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding, bilateral meetings, and the launch of new initiatives.
The event will also mark the graduation of the first cohort of the Labor Market Academy, supporting capacity building for policymakers, developing specialized labor market competencies, and promoting international knowledge exchange.
Sustainable Labor Markets
GLMC stands as one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to labor market issues. It aims to translate international dialogue into actionable policies and initiatives, strengthen cooperation among countries, and support the development of resilient and sustainable labor markets—enhancing economic competitiveness at the local, regional, and global levels.
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