Egypt's unemployment rate falls to 5.8% in Q2 2026 - Sarmad

Egypt’s unemployment rate fell to 5.8% during the second quarter of 2026, down from 6% in the first quarter, supported by a rise in the number of employed persons and an increase in the labor force, according to a statement issued by the Egyptian Cabinet on Thursday.

The statement showed that the labor force rose to approximately 35.64 million individuals in the second quarter, compared with 35.41 million in the first quarter. The number of employed persons increased to about 33.6 million, up from 33.3 million in the previous period, while the number of unemployed declined to around 2.08 million, down from 2.13 million.

The unemployment rate among males recorded 3.4% in the second quarter, down from 3.6% in the first quarter, while the unemployment rate among females stood at 14.4%, compared with 14.3% in the previous quarter.

The unemployment rate in urban areas rose to 8.8%, while it declined in rural areas to 3.5%, down from 4.2% in the first quarter, reflecting an improvement in employment indicators in rural regions.

Regarding the distribution of employment, the agriculture and fishing sector accounted for the largest share of total employed persons at 18.6%, followed by the wholesale and retail trade sector at 17.2%, then the manufacturing sector at 13.5%, followed by the construction sector at 11.8%, and then the transport and storage sector at 9.3%.