The High Commission for Planning reported that employment in Morocco increased during the year. Between the third quarter of 2024 and the same period in 2025, 167,000 jobs were created. This increase resulted from the creation of 164,000 positions in urban areas and only 3,000 in rural regions.
According to the Commission’s data, a total of 220,000 paid jobs were established, consisting of 168,000 in cities and 52,000 in villages. However, unpaid employment declined by 54,000 positions, resulting from a loss of 50,000 jobs in rural areas and 4,000 in urban areas.
By sector, the services industry added 94,000 new jobs, while construction and public works contributed 90,000 positions. The industrial sector created 29,000 jobs, whereas agriculture, forestry, and fishing experienced a loss of 47,000 jobs, primarily in rural areas, reflecting a decrease of 2 percent.
Despite the overall increase in job creation, the Commission’s data indicates a decline in the national activity rate from 43.6 to 43.3 percent. In rural areas, it dropped from 45.7 to 45.2 percent, and in urban areas from 42.5 to 42.3 percent. The rate also decreased for men from 68.6 to 68.1 percent and for women from 19.2 to 19.1 percent.
The national employment rate remained stable at 37.6 percent, with a slight decline in rural areas from 42.3 to 42.1 percent and little change in urban areas. The rate among men showed a slight increase (from 60.7 to 60.9 percent), while it dropped among women from 15.2 to 15 percent.
These indicators suggest that the improvement in job numbers accompanied a decline in the activity rate, particularly in rural areas, along with the continuing weak economic participation of women. This reflects a discrepancy between the reported job dynamics and the structure of the national labor market.
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