Unemployment Records Slight Decline in Morocco with Increase in Underemployment Indicators
The national unemployment rate in Morocco during the second quarter of 2025 recorded a decrease, reaching 12.8%, as revealed in a report by the High Commission for Planning regarding the labor market situation. This rate represents a decline of 0.3 points compared to the same period in 2024, dropping from 13.1% to 12.8% nationally, from 16.7% to 16.4% in urban areas, and from 6.7% to 6.2% in rural regions.
The number of unemployed individuals saw a noticeable decrease of 38,000 people, falling from 1,633,000 to 1,595,000, which is a 2% reduction. This drop stemmed from a reduction of 33,000 unemployed in rural areas and 5,000 in cities. Despite this overall improvement, the unemployment rate for women increased significantly from 17.7% to 19.9%, while it declined among men from 11.7% to 10.8%.
The unemployment rate for those aged between 25 and 34 years experienced a slight increase of 0.5 points, settling at 21.9%, while rates for other age groups declined. The rate among youths aged 15 to 24 decreased from 36.1% to 35.8%, and from 7.3% to 7% for those aged 35 to 44, as well as from 3.7% to 3.3% for individuals above 45.
The unemployment rate among degree holders decreased by 0.4 points to 19%. This decline was more pronounced among vocational training certificate holders, dropping by 2.4 points to 20.8%, and by 1 point for holders of secondary school certificates, settling at 25.1%.
The rate of underemployment registered a significant increase during the same period, with the number of people working in underemployment rising from 1,042,000 to 1,147,000. The number of those in urban areas increased from 552,000 to 635,000, and from 490,000 to 512,000 in rural areas, raising the national underemployment rate from 9.6% to 10.6%.
Additionally, the number of individuals working in underemployment based on hours worked rose from 583,000 to 602,000, with the rate moving from 5.4% to 5.5%. The number of those suffering from underemployment due to insufficient income or mismatched skills increased from 459,000 to 545,000, resulting in an increase in the rate from 4.2% to 5%.
Most economic sectors observed an increase in underemployment rates, with the construction and public works sector registering the largest rise of 3.3 points from 18.9% to 22.2%. The rate also increased in the industrial sector from 5% to 6.7%, in agriculture, forestry, and fishing from 11.5% to 12%, and in the services sector from 7.7% to 8.1%.
