he strict unemployment rate stood at 10.5% in the third quarter of 2026, up from 9.5% in the second, according to the High Commission for Planning note released on November 3.
The country counts 1,224,000 strictly unemployed people, 103,000 more than a quarter earlier. The rate reaches 12.5% in cities and 6.9% in the countryside, where it rises fastest.
The economy has 10.5 million people in paid employment, 173,000 fewer than in the previous quarter. Agriculture loses 145,000 jobs and services 96,000, while industry gains 69,000.
Young people aged 15 to 24 remain the most exposed, with a rate of 30.5%. The rate for women stands at 16.7%, against 8.7% for men.
The HCP notes that the results of this labor force survey are not directly comparable with those of the former national employment survey.
Photo: TIM97HA, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Haut-Commissariat au Plan - Situation du marché du travail au Maroc au troisième trimestre 2026 selon l’enquête sur la main-d’œuvre (EMO2026)
Haut-Commissariat au Plan - Note d’information, troisième trimestre 2026 (PDF)
