An electromagnetic contactor has a pair of fixed contacts disposed and fixed maintaining a predetermined interval; a movable contact disposed to be capable of contacting to and separating from the pair of fixed contacts; an electromagnet unit to drive the movable contact; and a drive circuit driving the electromagnet unit. The electromagnet unit includes at least a movable plunger urged by a return spring, a coil to move the movable plunger, and a ring-form permanent magnet magnetized in a moving direction of the movable plunger. The drive circuit includes a power source to supply power to the coil; a pulse drive circuit to output and supply to the coil an engage pulse causing the movable plunger to perform an attracting operation and a hold pulse maintaining the attracting operation when the movable plunger is subject to the attracting operation, and a flywheel circuit having a semiconductor switching element.