Morocco’s unemployment rate inched up to 13.6% in the third quarter of 2024, driven by setbacks in the agriculture sector that dampened job growth, according to data from the High Commission for Planning (HCP).
The HCP report highlighted that rural unemployment climbed by 0.4 points, reaching 7.4%, while urban joblessness held steady at 17%.
Nationwide, the number of unemployed Moroccans rose by 58,000, bringing the total to 1.68 million. Much of this increase stemmed from rural areas, where a record six-year drought has weakened job opportunities.
Younger workers, women, and older populations were the hardest hit. Youth unemployment, for example, rose 1.3 points to 39%, and women’s unemployment rate climbed to 20%, up from 19% a year prior. Older workers aged 45 and up also saw their unemployment rate rise from 3% to 4%.
Unemployment decreased for most educational groups, with university graduates seeing the largest improvement, dropping from 26% to 24%. However, technical and mid-level degree holders faced a rise in joblessness, with their rate increasing by 2.3 points.
Underemployment, a measure of people working fewer hours than desired or earning less than their skill level would command, rose from 9.6% to 10% nationwide, underpinned by urban areas where the underemployment rate reached 8.8%.
Rural underemployment, however, stayed at 12%, pointing to ongoing hurdles in areas heavily reliant on agriculture.
By sector, construction, and agriculture faced the most significant pressure from underemployment. The construction sector saw underemployment increase to 19.9%, while agriculture, forestry, and fishing recorded a 0.7-point increase, bringing the rate to 11.9%.
Even amid rural job setbacks, Morocco’s overall employment increased by 213,000 jobs over the past year, led by urban job growth. Urban regions added 231,000 positions, while rural areas lost 17,000 jobs. Most new jobs were salaried positions, which rose by 262,000, with urban areas capturing 218,000 of these roles and rural areas adding 45,000.
Labor participation nudged higher, increasing from 43.2% to 43.6% nationally. Participation in urban areas rose to 42.5% from 41.9%, while rural participation slightly dipped from 45.8% to 45.7%. Male participation decreased slightly from 68.7% to 68.6%, while female participation rose from 18.4% to 19.2%.
The national employment rate inched up from 37.4% to 37.6%, as urban employment rose by 0.5 points to reach 35.3%. However, rural employment saw a small decline, slipping 0.3 points to 42.3%.