Unemployment rate (annual) in Egypt

International Monetary Fund · Annual · Importance

IMF forecast (WEO): 2026: 7.4% 2027: 7.1% 2028: 6.5% 2029: 6.4% 2030: 7.5% 2031: 9.5%

7.7% (1999) ANUAL · % · Annual · CSV

Period	%
Jan 1999	7.7%
Jan 1998	8.0%
Jan 1997	8.7%
Jan 1996	9.5%
Jan 1995	11.2%
Jan 1994	11.1%
Jan 1993	10.9%
Jan 1992	9.0%
Jan 1991	8.8%
Jan 1990	8.0%

About this indicator

Source

International Monetary Fund

Frequency

Annual

Release

Published annually, covering the full year and subject to revision.

What it is

Measures the share of Egypt's labour force that is unemployed and actively seeking work. Published by the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), it is the country's headline labour market indicator.

How it's calculated

Calculated as the unemployed as a percentage of the labour force, following the ILO definition, from the household labour force survey. The annual figure summarises the quarterly results.

Market implications

Unemployment, especially among the young, is a socially and politically sensitive variable in Egypt and shapes IMF-backed reforms. A high rate signals strains in job creation; the Central Bank of Egypt weighs it alongside inflation and the exchange rate when setting policy.

Limitations

The large informal economy and low participation, especially among women, distort the reading of open unemployment. Annual survey data carry sampling error and revisions and do not capture underemployment.