The unemployment rate reached 13.7% over the last 3 months, according to the High Commission for Planning
In its latest information bulletin on the labor market situation, the High Commission for Planning indicated that the unemployment rate had increased to 13.7% during the first quarter of 2024.
The High Commission specified that “the unemployment rate increased between the first quarter of 2023 and the same quarter of 2024, by 0.8 percentage points, going from 12.9% to 13, 7%, and from 17.1% to 17.6% in urban areas (plus 0.5 percentage points) and from 5.7% to 6.8% in rural areas (plus 1.1 percentage points). We also observe an increase of two points among women, from 18.1% to 20.1%, and of 0.5 points among men, from 11.5% to 12%.
According to the same source, the number of unemployed increased by 96,000 people between the first quarter of 2023 and the same quarter of 2024, going from 1,549,000 to 1,645,000 unemployed, an increase of 6 %. This increase is due to the increase in the number of unemployed by 59,000 in urban areas and 38,000 in rural areas.
The Office also reported that the unemployment rate increased by 0.6 points among young adults aged 15 to 24, to 35.9%, by 1.1 points among those aged 25 to 34. years, to 22%, by 0.9 points among people aged 35 to 44, to 8%, and by 0.7 points among adults aged 45 and over, to 4.5%.
On the other hand, the unemployment rate of graduates increased by 0.5 points, reaching 20.3%. This increase was more pronounced among technical and vocational education graduates (+2.7 points, to 25.4%) and secondary school graduates (+1 point, to 23.6%).
Regarding underemployment linked to the number of hours worked, it increased from 513,000 to 576,000 people at the national level, while the associated rate increased from 4.9% to 5.6%.
The number of people underemployed due to insufficient income or unsuitable employment increased from 562,000 to 493,000 people nationally, while the rate of this type of underemployment increased from 5.4 % to 4.8%.
The bulletin also showed that sectors recording a decline in underemployment were the construction and public works sector, down 1.4 points to 19%, and the industrial sector, including the traditional industry, down 0.8 points to 6.3%.
On the other hand, the agriculture, forestry, fishing and services sector recorded an increase, rising by 0.4 points to 12.1% and 0.5 points to 8.3% respectively.
