World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · Lower-middle income

Egypt: the labour market

Labour force is 36.1m (2025), 19th of 187 in the world and 2nd of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 44.6% (2025), 168th of 187 in the world and 13th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 18.5% (2025), 179th of 187 in the world and 16th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force36.1m2025 · world 19/187 · region 2/23Participation rate44.6%2025 · world 168/187 · region 13/23Women's participation18.5%2025 · world 179/187 · region 16/23Employment rate41.5%2025 · world 162/187 · region 10/23
Labour force
Egypt
010.0m20.0m30.0m40.0m1995200020052010201520202025Egypt36.1m
Participation rate
EgyptMiddle East, North Africa, A…Lower-middle incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%1995200020052010201520202025Egypt44.6%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Egypt in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total36.1m202519/1872/2321.3m29.1m30.3m+17%since 2015264m1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+44.6%2025168/18713/2346.2%49.4%41.6%−2.4 ppsince 201547.4%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+18.5%2025179/18716/2320.4%23.2%14.6%−4.4 ppsince 201519.7%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)41.5%2025162/18710/2342.1%45.0%38.3%+0.7 ppsince 201543.7%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)6.8%202565/18714/239.0%8.8%8.0%−6.3 ppsince 20157.8%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)15.3%202522/18712/2322.8%21.9%17.6%−9.4 ppsince 201512.1%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)18.3%202562/18713/2325.0%24.6%18.5%−15.9 ppsince 201518.7%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %23.8%202456/1709/16·33.1%30.2%−2.5 ppsince 201432.2%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment73.0%202579/18713/2368.3%69.5%72.6%+3.2 ppsince 201561.0%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)23.9%2025105/18710/2315.2%17.2%18.5%+4.3 ppsince 201536.1%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment17.5%202585/1875/2330.5%28.4%20.4%−8.5 ppsince 201521.7%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment29.4%202523/1879/2321.9%25.7%28.5%+4.0 ppsince 201526.6%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment53.1%2025112/18719/2347.6%45.9%51.1%+4.4 ppsince 201551.7%37.8%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Egypt and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Egypt. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorEgyptSudanIsraelLibya
Labour force36.1m202510.9m20224.8m20252.6m2025
Participation rate44.6%202537.5%202265.5%202548.0%2025
Women's participation18.5%202514.5%202262.3%202533.0%2025
Employment rate41.5%202534.7%202263.2%202539.0%2025
Unemployment6.8%20257.5%20223.5%202518.8%2025
Female unemployment15.3%202514.0%20223.4%202525.2%2025
Youth unemployment18.3%202512.0%20226.0%202550.1%2025
Youth NEET rate23.8%202446.5%202215.3%2024—
Wage workers73.0%202553.5%202288.7%202574.1%2025
Sudan: labourIsrael: labourLibya: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesEgypt: all key statisticscountry profile