The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced, on Monday, that Egypt’s unemployment rate decreased slightly during Q4 (Q4) of 2020, to reach 7.2%.
It also said that this compared to the 7.3% reported in Q3(Q3) of 2020, reflecting a decrease of 0.1%, and a decrease of 0.8% against Q4 of 2019.
The agency attributed this decrease to the continued return to normal daily activities, after the end of the state-imposed curfew and partial lockdown to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
CAPMAS said that the estimated size of the workforce stood at 29.965m individuals during Q4 of 2020, compared to 28.171 million individuals during Q3, reflecting an increase of 6.4%.
The urban workforce reached 13.161 million individuals, while in the countryside it reached 16.804 million individuals. The size of the labour force for males reached 24.577 million, whilst for females it stood at 5.388 million individuals.
The increase was driven by the increase in the number of workers during Q4 of 2020, as a result of the continued return to pre-pandemic economic activities again. This was also attributed to the decision to end the partial lockdown taken by the state to limit the pandemic.
CAPMAS indicated that the number of unemployed nationwide stood at 2.166 million during Q4 of 2020, with a rate of 7.2% of the total work force. Of this, 1.262 million were males and 904,000 were females, compared to 2.061 million unemployed in Q3.
It reflected an increase of 105,000 unemployed, or 5.1%, compared to Q3 of 2020, and a decrease of 163,000 unemployed people from Q4 of 2019, by 7.0%.
The agency added that the unemployment rate among males was 5.1% of the total male population in the workforce in Q4 of 2020, while it was 5.8% in Q3, and 4.7% in Q4 of 2019. The unemployment rate among females was 16.8% of the total female in the workforce in Q4 of 2020, while it was 15.2% in Q3, and 22.7% in Q4 of 2019.
The percentage of unemployed persons in the 15 to 29 years age group reached 69.7% in Q4 of 2020, compared to 65.8% in Q3.
According to the agency, the urban unemployment rate increased to 11.4% of the total urban workforce in Q4 of 2020, compared to 10.9% in Q3, and 11.5% in Q4 of 2019.
This comes while the rural unemployment rate decreased to 4.0% of the total workforce in the countryside in Q4 of 2020, while it stood at 4.5% in Q3, and 5.4% in Q4 of 2019.
The agency pointed out that the percentage of unemployed people with intermediate, upper-intermediate, university degrees and above, increased to 82.0% in Q4 of 2020, compared to 78.9% in Q3.
The number of employed reached 27.799 million in Q4 of 2020, compared to 26.110 million in Q3, reflecting an increase of 6.5%. At the same time, the number of urban workers reached 11.664 million, while the number of workers in the countryside reached 16.135 million.
CAPMAS noted that the number of workers for cash wages amounted to 19.595 million workers, of whom 16.695 million were males and 2.9 million were females, representing 70.5% of the total employed.
The number of self-employed workers reached 2.012 million workers (1.930 million male employees and 82,000 female workers), or 7.2% of the total employed. At the same time, the number of self-employed workers who do not employ anyone reached 4.576 million workers, accounting for 4.030 million male workers and 546,000 female workers, representing 16.5% of the total employed.
The number of workers contributing in unpaid work (within the family) reached 1.617 million workers (accounting for 661,000 male employees and 956,000 female workers), representing 5.8% of the total employed.
The rate of participation in economic activity reached 43.5% of the total population aged 15 years and over during Q4 of 2020, while it stood at 41.1% during Q3, and 43.1% in Q4 of 2019.
It said that the wholesale and retail trade activity attracted 634,000 workers during Q4 of 2020, while public administration and defence activities lost the highest number of workers, at 95,000.
The agricultural and fishing activity also attracted 382,000 workers, while other services activities lost 34,000 workers. The construction and building activity attracted 317,000 workers.
In contrast, the financial intermediation and insurance activity lost 22,000 workers, and the health activity attracted 124,000 workers. The information and communication activity lost 20,000 workers, whilst the education activity attracted 113,000 workers. In contrast, real estate activity lost 13,000 workers.
According to the agency, the agricultural and fishing activity achieved the largest participation rate of workers in economic activities, as the number of workers in this activity reached 5.716 million workers. This represented 4.752 million male employees and 964,000 females, or 20.6% of the total employees, occupying the first place in activities.
The number of workers in the wholesale and retail trade activity reached 4.351 million workers, divided between 3.631 million males and 720,000 females, representing 15.7% of the total number of workers.
The number of workers in construction and building reached 3.686 million workers, accounting for 3.665 million male and 21,000 female employees, reflecting 13.3% of the total employed.
At the same time, the number of workers in the manufacturing activity reached 3.562 million workers, including 3.239 million males and 324,000 females. It accounted for 12.8% of the total employed. The number of workers in the transport and storage activity reached 2.336 million workers (2.315 million males, 21,000 females), or 8.4% of the total employed.
