CAIRO – 18 May 2025: Egypt’s unemployment rate decreased to 6.3% in the first quarter of 2025, according to data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
This marks the second consecutive quarterly decline and an improvement from 6.7% in the same period last year.
The decrease comes alongside a 1% quarter-on-quarter rise in the labor force, which reached 33.4 million. The growth was supported by 342,000 new jobholders entering the market, while the number of unemployed individuals dropped by 19,000.
However, the gender gap in employment remains distinct. Male unemployment fell to 3.6%, down from 3.9% in the previous quarter and 4.4% year-on-year. Female unemployment, though slightly better, stayed elevated at 16.4%.
Youth remain among the most vulnerable. Individuals aged 15 to 29 made up 58.6% of the unemployed—still a majority, although down from 64.6% in the previous quarter.
Geographically, rural Egypt showed the most notable improvement, with unemployment falling to 3.6% from 4.5%. Conversely, urban unemployment rose to 9.8%, up from 8.9% last quarter.
At the same time, shifts in employment structure are becoming more apparent. Salaried workers now make up 69.7% of employed individuals, a slight drop, while self-employment rose to 22%. Family business employment dipped to 4%, and the proportion of business owners inched up to 4.3%.
While the market shows signs of recovery and adaptation, structural imbalances—especially for women and young job seekers—continue to present key challenges.
Sun, May. 18, 2025
