Egypt’s unemployment falls to 6.0% in Q1 2026 – CAPMAS

Egypt’s unemployment rate fell to 6.0 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 from 6.2 per cent in the previous quarter, as the labour force expanded and employment levels increased, according to data released on Friday by Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS).

The labour force rose by 1.7 per cent quarter on quarter to 35.412 million individuals during the January to March period, driven by an increase of 610,000 employed persons and a decline of 26,000 unemployed persons. Total employment climbed 1.9 per cent to 33.287 million individuals.

The number of unemployed persons stood at 2.126 million, including 1.006 million males and 1.120 million females, marking a 1.2 per cent decline from the previous quarter, while rising 0.7 per cent from the same quarter a year earlier.

Male unemployment fell to 3.6 per cent from 3.8 per cent in the previous quarter, while female unemployment remained unchanged at 14.3 per cent. Urban unemployment declined to 8.4 per cent from 9.7 per cent, while rural unemployment increased to 4.2 per cent from 3.4 per cent.

CAPMAS said holders of intermediate, above intermediate, university, and higher qualifications accounted for 79.6 per cent of total unemployed persons during the quarter.

By sector, agriculture, forestry, logging, and fishing recorded the highest share of employment at 18.0 per cent of total employed persons, followed by wholesale and retail trade and vehicle repair activities at 17.1 per cent, manufacturing at 14.6 per cent, construction at 11.5 per cent, and transport and storage at 8.7 per cent.

The economic participation rate reached 47.6 per cent of the population aged 15 years and above during the quarter, compared with 46.7 per cent in the previous quarter and 45.8 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English