Jordan: unemployment rate drops to 21.9%

Jordan’s unemployment rate declined to 21.9 per cent in the first quarter of this year, compared to 22.8 per cent at the end of 2022, the Department of Statistics said.

In a statement issued yesterday, the department said the unemployment rate among males reached 19.6 per cent, compared to 30.7 per cent for females, in the first quarter of 2023.

The unemployment rate among university degree holders is about 25.8 per cent.

Last month, the government decided to stop recruiting expatriate workers, with the exception of three sectors, saying the decision will have positive repercussions on the national economy and help reduce unemployment rates.

Labour Minister Youssef Al-Shamali said in previous statements that there are 400,000 migrant workers in the kingdom.

However, unofficial reports put the number at one million.

READ: World Bank says Jordan could face ‘shocks’ due to high poverty rates