Morocco’s unemployment rate rose to 10.5% in the third quarter of 2026, while the number of people employed for pay fell by 173,000 compared with the previous quarter, according to new figures released by the High Commission for Planning.
The unemployment rate increased by 0.9 percentage points from the second quarter, while the number of unemployed people rose by 103,000 to 1.224 million.
The country’s labor force stood at 11.7 million, including 10.5 million people employed for pay, a quarterly decline of 1.6%.
The figures come from the HCP’s new Labor Force Survey , which replaces the National Employment Survey and incorporates updated international statistical standards.
Under the new methodology, unemployment covers people aged 15 and older who were not employed for pay, actively sought work during the preceding four weeks and were available to start working.
Youth and women face rising unemployment
Unemployment among young Moroccans aged 15 to 24 reached 30.5%, up from 27.2% in the previous quarter, the largest increase among age groups.
For those aged 25 to 34, unemployment climbed from 14.5% to 16%.
Women’s unemployment rose from 14.8% to 16.7%, compared with an increase from 8.1% to 8.7% among men.
Educational qualifications offered limited protection. Unemployment reached 18.1% among holders of both higher and intermediate qualifications, compared with 4.7% among people without diplomas.
Urban unemployment stood at 12.5%, against 6.9% in rural areas.
Regional disparities remain pronounced
Guelmim-Oued Noun recorded the country’s highest unemployment rate at 17.2%, followed by Drâa-Tafilalet at 14.7%, the Oriental region at 13.7% and Casablanca-Settat at 13%.
Dakhla-Oued Eddahab recorded the lowest rate at 4.6%, followed by Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima at 6.8%.
The HCP’s broader composite labor underutilization rate reached 19.6%, capturing unemployment, insufficient working hours and people potentially available for work.
That measure climbed to 44.5% among young people and 28.5% among women, indicating substantially greater unmet demand for employment than conventional unemployment figures capture.
Labor force participation also varied sharply across regions, ranging from 30.2% in Drâa-Tafilalet to 64.7% in Dakhla-Oued Eddahab.
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