International labour office geneva

Table 5: Distribution of the labour force and the unemployed in selected MENA economies, by education 

(%)

 

 

Proportion of labour force with 

secondary education or above 

Proportion of unemployed with 

secondary education or above 

 Egypt 

 

42 

 

80 

 Bahrain 

 

16.4 

 

59 

 Morocco 

 

16.4 

 

29.6 

 Iran 

 

35 

 

39.2 

 Jordan 

 

45.1 

 

43.6 

 Algeria 

 

20 

 

37.8 

 Oman 

 

15.4 

 

39.7 

 Tunisia 

 

42.6 

 

42.5 

Source: World Bank (2008b), MENA Development Report, The Road Not Traveled, Education Reform in Middle East and Africa, 

Washington D.C.: World Bank. 

 

 

8 

Labour migration for decent work, economic growth and development in Egypt

 

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Increase in labour force and unemployment levels 

The pressure exerted by youth on labour markets is regarded as a key determinant of 

emigration in Egypt (Fargues, 2003). Government and private estimates put the number of 

jobseekers entering the labour market annually at around 700,000 and 800,000, 

respectively, which is considered a huge number compared to the production capacity of 

the Egyptian economy. This led to high figures of unemployment that revolved around 9 

per cent, and surpassed 10 per cent, in some years (see Figure 3). Under-employment and 

reliance on the informal economy are also key features of the Egyptian economy (Nassar, 

2007). Such high unemployment and underemployment levels represent important 

emigration push factors. The main channels of job absorption that used to exist in the past, 

including formal migration, and public sector employment, are no longer available, thus 

creating extra pressure for irregular migration.