14% the unemployment rate during  the third quarter of 2009

The Department of Statistics issued the Unemployment Rate report during the third quarter of 2009. The following are the main results of this survey.

Unemployment:

·           The results show that the unemployment rate has reached 14% during the third quarter of 2009 (10.7% for males compared with 28.0% for females).

·          The results also show a rise of about two percentage points in the rate compared with the third quarter of 2008, where the rate was then 12.0%.

·         The Unemployment Rate has increased by one percentage point for this quarter compared with the previous quarter of 2009, where the rate was 13%.

The Quarterly & Yearly Unemployment Rates for 2006-2009

Unemployed:

·          The Survey results show a rise of unemployment rate between the university degree holders (Bachelor degree and higher) by 19.6% compared with the other educational levels.

·         The results also show that 1% of the unemployed are illiterate, and 43 % have less than secondary school qualifications, while about 56% of unemployed were higher secondary certificate holders and higher.

·          Male unemployed percentage of bachelor holders and higher was (21%) and (55%) for females which is varied according to educational level and sex.

·         The highest rate of unemployment recorded in the age group 15-19 and 20-24 years by 29% for both.

Employed:

·         The results show that about 63% and 74% of employed males and females concentrated in the age group 20-39 years.

·         About half of the employed have less than secondary qualifications, 13.4% with secondary and 35% are higher than secondary level.

·         19% of the employed males are engaged in elementary occupations, while the percentage of workers in crafts and related trades and the professions constitute about 18% and 16% for each respectively.

·         While among the employed females, 47.8% were professionals and 22% were technicians and associate professionals.  

·         As for the distribution of the employed by economic activity, the results show that 20% of the total employed work in the sector of public administration, defense and social security, followed by workers in the wholesale and retail trade sector at about 16%.

·         The results show that 22% of employed males were employed in the sector of public administration and defense, and 17.2% in the trade sector. It was noticed that 36% of female workers were in the education sector and 15.1% in the health sector and social work.

·          The results also show that about 83% of the employed were paid employees (81%, for males compared with 93% for females).

Labor Force: (Employed & Unemployed)

·        The results show a clear variation between males and females with regard to educational level. It was found that about 57.2% of the total male labor force has less than secondary educational qualifications compared to 16% for females. The results indicate also that 49.5% of the total labor force among females has bachelor level or higher, compared with 19% for males.

·        The results show that the Crude Economic Activity Rate (i.e labor force attributed to the total population) reached 26%.

·        The Refined Economic Participation Rate (the labor force attributed to the population 15 years and over) was about 64.7% for males against 16% for females compared with 63.6% for males and 14% for females in the third quarter 2008.

 It should be noted that the Survey included a total sample size of about 13 thousand households distributed all over the  governorates of the Kingdom, and is representative of the urban, rural, and regions. It is worthy to mention here that the Employment and Unemployment surveys are carried out every quarter and provide data reflecting the situation of the complete quarter (July, August and September).

Figure (1):  Total Unemployment Rates by Sex & Quarters for 2006-2009

Figure (2): Unemployment Rates for the third Quarter of 2000-2009 & the yearly average for the same years

Note: The 2004 yearly average was estimated on the basis of unemployment average rate of 2003 &2005 noting that the survey was carried out once in May 2004 and its data are not representative at the yearly level.

Figure (3): the Unemployment Rates Trends by Sex (2000-2008) and the three quarters of 2009

Note: The 2004 yearly average was estimated on the basis of unemployment average rate of 2003 & 2005 noting that the survey was carried out once in May 2004 and its data are not representative at the yearly level.