Egypt’s unemployment rate increased slightly in the third quarter of 2016 to reach 12.6 percent, up from 12.5 percent in the second quarter – an increase of 80,000 unemployed people – the official statistics agency said on Wednesday. According to a statement by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the number of unemployed people stood at 3.6 million during the third quarter of the year, with an increase of 80,000 compared to the previous quarter. Egypt’s unemployment rate had eased slightly in the second quarter to 12.5 percent, compared to 12.7 percent in the first quarter of 2016. The agency attributes the third quarter’s slightly higher rate of unemployment to the inflow of new graduates in that quarter (April-June). A portion of those graduates join the labor market as workers and job seekers while the other portion remains outside the labor force for reasons that include military conscription for male graduates, marriage, or pursuing post-graduate studies. Egypt’s labor force is estimated at 28.8 million, representing a 10 percent increase compared to the second quarter of this year and a 2.9 percent increase compared to the same quarter last year. CAPMAS…
80,000 Join Ranks of Unemployed in Egypt During 3rd Quarter of 2016: CAPMAS
November 17, 2016
