GLMC 2026 Opens Tomorrow in Riyadh Under Royal Patronage

Under the patronage of 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). The conference will be held under the theme “Future in Progress,” with high-level participation from decision-makers, thought leaders, and experts from around the world.
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed Al-Rajhi affirmed that convening the third edition of GLMC under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to its international role in advancing global dialogue on the future of work and addressing the shared challenges reshaping labor markets worldwide.
Al-Rajhi stated that the conference represents a global platform that brings together key stakeholders to exchange expertise and build shared visions that contribute to the development of more flexible and inclusive policies, enhance workforce readiness, and achieve a balance between economic growth and quality of life, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
This year’s conference will see broad international participation, with more than 10,000 participants from 100 countries, alongside more than 40 labor ministers, and representatives of international organizations, the private sector, and academic institutions. The conference will also feature more than 200 speakers across over 50 sessions.
The conference will be held over two days, on 26 and 27 January 2026, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, and is organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in strategic partnership with a number of international organizations, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Tourism, Labour Centre of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, and King’s Trust International (KTI), and the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk), further strengthening the conference’s international character and enriching its outcomes.
In its third edition, the conference will focus on six main pillars reflecting the major transformations taking place in global labor markets. These include trade transformations and their impact on employment, informal economies, the new global skills landscape, the real impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and productivity, building resilient labor markets in times of crisis, and enhancing job quality, with particular attention given to youth as the foundation of the future economy.
The conference will include a number of milestones, most notably the Ministerial Meeting of labor ministers, bringing together ministers from more than 40 countries to discuss practical and immediate employment pathways in light of global transformations. Additional activities include the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding, the organization of bilateral meetings, and the launch of new initiatives. The conference will also witness the graduation of the first cohort of the Labor Market Academy, as part of efforts to enhance capacity building for policymakers, develop specialized labor market competencies, and enhance international knowledge exchange in this field.
GLMC is one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to labor market issues, aiming to translate international dialogue into practical policies and initiatives, strengthen cooperation among countries, and support the development of more resilient and sustainable labor markets, contributing to enhanced economic competitiveness at the local, regional, and global levels.
— SPA