Morocco’s labor market showed signs of modest improvement in the first quarter of 2026, with unemployment holding steady at 10.8% nationwide, according to new data released by the High Commission for Planning.
The number of unemployed people stood at about 1.253 million during the period, the agency said in a report based on a newly redesigned labor force survey aligned with international standards.
The updated survey introduces methodological and conceptual changes, including adopting a narrower definition of unemployment. This approach counts only individuals without work who are actively seeking paid employment and are immediately available to work, excluding those not currently searching or not ready to start.
Urban concentration and underemployment remain key issues
According to the report, 79.6% of unemployed individuals live in urban areas, while women account for 31.3% of the total unemployed population.
The data also highlighted underemployment, with 671,000 people classified as working fewer hours than desired. Of these, 52.9% are based in urban areas.
Despite what officials described as a “slight improvement” in overall labor indicators, disparities between urban and rural areas persist. Unemployment reached 13.5% in cities compared with 6.1% in rural areas, underscoring ongoing regional inequalities in access to jobs.
Youth and women hardest hit
Young people remain the most affected group. The unemployment rate stood at 29.2% among those aged 15 to 24, dropping to 16.1% for individuals aged 25 to 34.
Women also continue to face higher unemployment rates than men, at 16.1% compared with 9.4%, reflecting structural gender gaps in the labor market.
The High Commission said the new survey framework significantly increases the annual sample size from 90,000 to 135,000 households, allowing for more detailed regional and provincial data.
The sampling base has also been updated using results from Morocco’s 2024 population census. Additionally, a new quarterly and annual rotation system for surveyed households has been introduced to enable partial long-term tracking and better analysis of labor market trends over time.
The agency said these changes are intended to provide a more accurate and dynamic picture of employment conditions in Morocco.
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