Current Unemployment Trends in Morocco
The latest newsletter from the High Commission for Planning in Morocco has shed light on the prevailing situation of the job market across the country, revealing alarming unemployment statistics. Notably, the Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra region has emerged as the area with the highest unemployment rate, standing at a staggering 20.3%. This is in stark contrast to the Eastern region, which reported an unemployment rate of 14.9%. Other regions such as Guelmim-Oued Noun and Fes-Meknes followed closely with rates of 14.8% and 14.2% respectively, highlighting significant disparities in employment levels throughout Morocco.
Regional Workforce Participation and Insights
The report further indicated that several regions have unemployment rates exceeding the national average, which currently sits at 12.4%. For instance, the Casablanca-Settat region recorded an unemployment rate of 12.7%, while Rabat-Salé-Kénitra reported 10.9%. In contrast, some regions like Dakhla-Oued Eddahab and Marrakech-Safi showcased lower unemployment rates of 5.7% and 7% respectively, indicating a more favorable employment landscape.
In terms of workforce participation, the data revealed that six regions surpassed the national participation rate of 41.8%. Dakhla-Oued Eddahab led with an impressive participation rate of 63.9%, followed by Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima at 46.4%, and Casablanca-Settat at 45.6%. Other regions, including Laayoune-Sakia El Hamra, Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, and Marrakech-Safi, also contributed positively to the workforce participation metrics.
On the other hand, the lowest participation rates were recorded in the Drâa-Tafilalet region at 31.1%, the Eastern region at 37%, and Guelmim-Oued Noun at 37.2%. This significant variation underscores the challenges that different regions face in integrating their populations into the workforce. The High Commission emphasized that these findings are part of the “New Labor Force Survey 2026,” which employs contemporary international standards, replacing the previous national employment survey.
As reported by nadorcity.com.
