Tunisia: the labour market
Labour force is 4.3m (2025), 95th of 187 in the world and 13th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 45.2% (2025), 166th of 187 in the world and 11th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 26.5% (2025), 169th of 187 in the world and 10th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.
Labour: Tunisia 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.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour forceLabour force, total | 4.3m2025 | 95/187 | 13/23 | 3.3m | 3.9m | 4.1m | +4.7%since 2015 | 264m | 1.2bn | 3.7bn | |
| Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+ | 45.2%2025 | 166/187 | 11/23 | 48.0% | 47.4% | 45.5% | −2.3 ppsince 2015 | 47.4% | 58.2% | 61.0% | |
| Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+ | 26.5%2025 | 169/187 | 10/23 | 23.7% | 24.8% | 26.3% | +0.4 ppsince 2015 | 19.7% | 39.2% | 48.9% | |
| Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO) | 38.4%2025 | 170/187 | 14/23 | 40.8% | 41.2% | 37.5% | −1.9 ppsince 2015 | 43.7% | 55.6% | 58.1% | |
| UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO) | 15.1%2025 | 16/187 | 7/23 | 14.9% | 13.0% | 17.7% | −0.1 ppsince 2015 | 7.8% | 4.5% | 4.8% | |
| Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO) | 20.4%2025 | 16/187 | 10/23 | 16.1% | 19.0% | 24.6% | −1.8 ppsince 2015 | 12.1% | 4.9% | 4.9% | |
| Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO) | 38.1%2025 | 9/187 | 4/23 | 30.7% | 29.6% | 41.2% | +3.1 ppsince 2015 | 18.7% | 13.1% | 13.4% | |
| Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, % | 22.6%2023 | 61/170 | 11/16 | · | 25.2% | 19.5%2021 | −2.6 ppsince 2010 | 32.2% | 21.8% | — | |
| Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment | 75.1%2025 | 70/187 | 11/23 | 69.6% | 70.3% | 74.3% | +1.5 ppsince 2015 | 61.0% | 29.6% | 53.6% | |
| Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO) | 17.9%2025 | 125/187 | 14/23 | 25.4% | 23.2% | 18.7% | −1.7 ppsince 2015 | 36.1% | 65.5% | 42.4% | |
| Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment | 12.5%2025 | 100/187 | 8/23 | 20.5% | 18.0% | 13.6% | −2.3 ppsince 2015 | 21.7% | 39.8% | 25.8% | |
| Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment | 33.3%2025 | 8/187 | 5/23 | 31.6% | 33.3% | 34.0% | +0.2 ppsince 2015 | 26.6% | 22.4% | 23.7% | |
| Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment | 54.3%2025 | 110/187 | 18/23 | 47.9% | 48.7% | 52.3% | +2.1 ppsince 2015 | 51.7% | 37.8% | 50.6% |
Better than ten years ago
- Women's participation+0.4 pp26.5% in 2025
- Unemployment−0.1 pp15.1% in 2025
- Female unemployment−1.8 pp20.4% in 2025
- Youth NEET rate−2.6 pp22.6% in 2023
Worse than ten years ago
- Employment rate−1.9 pp38.4% in 2025
- Youth unemployment+3.1 pp38.1% in 2025
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
Tunisia and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Tunisia. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Tunisia | Algeria | Libya |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour force | 4.3m2025 | 13.6m2025 | 2.6m2025 |
| Participation rate | 45.2%2025 | 40.8%2025 | 48.0%2025 |
| Women's participation | 26.5%2025 | 14.1%2025 | 33.0%2025 |
| Employment rate | 38.4%2025 | 36.0%2025 | 39.0%2025 |
| Unemployment | 15.1%2025 | 11.6%2025 | 18.8%2025 |
| Female unemployment | 20.4%2025 | 20.6%2025 | 25.2%2025 |
| Youth unemployment | 38.1%2025 | 29.4%2025 | 50.1%2025 |
| Youth NEET rate | 22.6%2023 | 20.9%2017 | — |
| Wage workers | 75.1%2025 | 69.8%2025 | 74.1%2025 |