Morocco's job market struggles in 2023 : 157,000 jobs lost, unemployment up

The High Commission for Planning (HCP) reveals concerning trends in Morocco's 2023 labor market. While 50,000 new paid jobs were created, a significant decline in unpaid positions (209,000 lost) resulted in a net loss of 157,000 jobs compared to 2022. This contributed to a rise in the unemployment rate to 13%, impacting 10% more individuals (reaching 1.58 million unemployed).

Among educational groups, both graduates and those without diplomas saw unemployment increases (1.1% and 0.7%, respectively). Underemployment also rose across the nation, particularly in rural areas.

Regionally, Casablanca-Settat holds the highest unemployment rate (25.8%) and largest worker concentration (22.4%).

The service sector remains the largest employer (48.3%), followed by agriculture (27.8%), industry (12.2%), and construction (11.6%).