Egypt’s unemployment falls to 6.2% in Q4 2025 – CAPMAS

Egypt’s unemployment rate fell to 6.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2025, down 0.2 per cent from the previous quarter, the country’s official statistics agency CAPMAS said Sunday.

The labour force rose 0.3 per cent to 34.829 million, with 15.193 million in urban areas and 19.636 million in rural areas. Male workers numbered 26.903 million, while females accounted for 7.926 million. The increase reflects a rise of 179,000 employed and a drop of 77,000 unemployed, for a net gain of 102,000 in the labour force.

Unemployed individuals fell to 2.152 million, including 1.019 million males and 1.133 million females. Male unemployment declined to 3.8 per cent from 4.0 per cent, while female unemployment fell to 14.3 per cent from 15.0 per cent. Urban unemployment reached 9.7 per cent, down from 10.1 per cent, while rural unemployment dropped to 3.4 per cent from 3.6 per cent.

By education level, 82.1 per cent of the unemployed held intermediate, above-intermediate, or university degrees, while 17.9 per cent had below-intermediate education.

The number of employed rose to 32.677 million, up 0.6 per cent from the previous quarter, with 13.716 million in urban areas and 18.961 million in rural areas. Paid employees accounted for 22.118 million, employers managing businesses numbered 2.022 million, self-employed without employees reached 5.935 million, and unpaid family workers totalled 2.602 million.

Labour participation stood at 46.7 per cent of the population aged 15 and above, with 70.8 per cent for males and 21.7 per cent for females. Urban participation was 45.7 per cent compared with 47.5 per cent in rural areas.

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing led economic activity with 6.562 million employed, followed by wholesale and retail trade with 5.450 million, manufacturing with 4.714 million, construction with 3.480 million, and transport and storage with 2.681 million.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser