The Moroccan labor market now looks different. With the publication of results of the new Labor Force Survey (EMO 2026)THE High Commission for Planning (HCP) introduces a new indicator that goes beyond the traditional framework of unemployment. Behind a strict unemployment rate of 10.8%, it is in reality a much broader unmet need for work that appears, affecting more than one in five workers. This new reading highlights a diffuse but very real pressure on employmentoften invisible in traditional approaches.
Pressure on employment well beyond just unemployment
The main contribution of this new survey lies in the composite labor underutilization rate, which reaches 22.5% in the first quarter of 2026. This indicator brings together three realities: people at strict unemploymentthose in a situation of underemployment (working less than desired) and a potential workforce outside the labor market.
This figure profoundly changes the perception of the job market. Where unemployment seemed relatively contained, a significant part of the broader active population actually appears insufficiently mobilized or excluded from economic activity. The labor market therefore does not only suffer from a lack of jobs, but also from a deficit in intensity and access to employment.
A new reading resulting from the methodological overhaul of the HCP
This change in diagnosis is explained by an in-depth overhaul of the statistical system. EMO 2026 introduces a stricter definition of unemployment, limited to people who are unemployed, available and actively looking, breaking with previous approaches.
At the same time, employment is now restricted to activities carried out for remuneration or for profit, excluding certain forms of informal activities or self-consumption. Above all, the approach becomes multidimensional, integrating underemployment and potential labor force to better measure real tensions.
This development aligns Morocco with international standards and allows a finer and more demanding reading of the labor market, even if it introduces a break with previous statistical series.
Participation in the labor market still limited
Beyond the indicators, the report highlights a persistent weakness: the labor force participation rate remains limited to 41.8%. In other words, a large part of the working age population remains outside the labor market.
This inclusion deficit is particularly marked among women, whose participation rate peaks at 17.5%, compared to 66.4% for men. This structural imbalance directly weighs on the economy’s capacity to fully mobilize its human capital.
An employment structure marked by persistent imbalances
Sectoral analysis confirms an economy dominated by services, which account for almost half of jobs (49.1%). Agriculture nevertheless remains a pillar in rural areas, where it absorbs more than half of the employed workforce.
This distribution reflects a persistent economic duality. On one side, a tertiarized urban fabric, on the other, a rural world dependent on activities that are often precarious and vulnerable to hazards. This structuring raises the question of the quality and stability of the jobs created.
Young people and women: the main victims of market tensions
The data confirms that certain categories are more resistant to labor market imbalances. Young people aged 15 to 24 have an unemployment rate of 29.2%, while their underutilization rate reaches 45.3%. Their professional integration thus remains one of the major challenges.
Women, for their part, face difficulties: low participation, higher unemployment (16.1%) and increased exposure to underutilization. These gaps reflect persistent structural obstacles, linked to access to employment, working conditions and social constraints.
Regional disparities which confirm a multi-speed labor market
The Moroccan labor market remains strongly marked by territorial disparities. Some regions, such as Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab or Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, display higher levels of participation and employment, while others, such as Oriental or Guelmim-Oued Noun, have high unemployment rates.
This heterogeneity highlights the existence of a multi-speed labor market, where opportunities remain unevenly distributed depending on the territory.
Towards a more demanding reading of the labor market
By introducing an expanded indicator of labor underutilization, the HCP is not only refining its statistical tools: it is transforming the way we understand employment in Morocco. The real challenge no longer lies solely in reducing unemployment, but in the ability to fully mobilize the workforce, improve the quality of jobs and reduce inequalities in access to work.
This new reading lays the foundations for a more demanding debate on employment policies. It invites us to rethink priorities, with an emphasis on economic inclusion, the integration of young people, the participation of women and balanced territorial development.
