Morocco’s unemployment rate continued to decline during the second quarter of 2026, reaching 9.5%, compared with 10.8% in the previous quarter, representing a 1.3 percentage-point decrease nationwide, according to the latest figures released by the High Commission for Planning (HCP).
In an information note on the country’s labor market during the second quarter of 2026, the HCP said the unemployment rate stood at 11.9% in urban areas and 5.4% in rural areas, compared with 13.5% and 6.1%, respectively, during the first quarter.
The decline was recorded among both men and women. Among men, the unemployment rate fell from 9.4% to 8.1%, while among women it decreased from 16.1% to 14.8%. Despite the improvement, unemployment remains significantly higher among women.
Young people continue to be the group most exposed to unemployment. The rate reached 27.2% among people aged 15 to 24, down from 29.2% in the previous quarter. It stood at 14.5% among those aged 25 to 34, 5.7% among people aged 35 to 44, and 3.4% among those aged 45 and over.
By educational attainment, unemployment reached 16.7% among holders of higher education qualifications and 16% among those with intermediate-level diplomas. It stood at 11.4% among holders of basic-level qualifications, while the lowest rate was recorded among people with no diploma, at 3.8%.
As for the combined rate of unemployment in the strict sense and underemployment linked to working hours, it stood at 14% in the second quarter, compared with 16.6% in the first quarter, marking a decline of 2.6 percentage points. The rate reached 15.9% in urban areas and 10.8% in rural areas.
The same indicator stood at 17.6% among women, compared with 13% among men. In urban areas, it declined from 18.3% to 15.9%, while in rural areas it fell from 13.6% to 10.8%.
Finally, the combined rate of unemployment in the strict sense and the potential labor force, which measures current and potential pressure on the labor market, stood at 14.7%. It reached 17.3% in urban areas and 10% in rural areas, with a significant gap between women and men, at 24.2% and 11.9%, respectively.