Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) 2027

The Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) is an annual gathering in Riyadh where labor ministers, policymakers, business leaders, academics and international institutions work on the future of labor markets. Its 4th edition is held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. GLMC describes itself as a global platform for inclusive collaboration, actionable knowledge and measurable impact, and its third edition in January 2026 ended with about 90 agreements and memoranda signed.

Pillars

GLMC is organised around three pillars.

• Convene: leading voices across government, business, academia and civil society
• Inform: evidence-driven research, global perspectives and strategic insights for policy and practice
• Activate: strategic alliances and high-impact initiatives that strengthen labor systems and expand opportunity

Themes

GLMC's research and insights cover topics such as female labor force participation in the Middle East and North Africa, the gig economy, digital transformation of work and how investment in major events reshapes cities and livelihoods. Outcome reports from GLMC 23 and GLMC 26 are published on the conference site.

Who attends

Ministers of labor and senior government officials, international organisations such as the World Bank and ILO, employers and HR leaders, researchers and civil society. Across its editions GLMC reports more than 65 ministers of labor, 30,000 participants, 600 speakers and 140 countries.