Employment
The employment-to-population ratio increased to 53.1% in February 2024(Q1) from 47.7% in February 2023(Q1). There has been a similar increase for both males and females, around 5 percentage points.
In February 2024(Q1), the employment-to-population ratio was higher among males (60.9%) than females (46.3%). It was also higher for adults (57.4%) than youth aged 16-30 years old (47.7%).
The employment to population ratio gender gap was 14.6 percentage points in February 2024 (Q1) and it slightly increased from 14 percentage points in February 2023 (Q1).
Unemployment
In February 2024 (Q1), the unemployment rate stood at 12.9% indicating that roughly for every 8 persons in the labour force, there was one person unemployed. The unemployment rate significantly decreased by 4.3 percentage point from 17.2% in the same quarter last year; resulting to the same level of unemployment rate than the pre-COVID-19 estimate in the same quarter (13.1%).
The unemployment rate was higher among females (14.5%) than among males (11.5%). It was also higher among youth (16.6%) than among adults (10.3%). It was higher in urban areas than rural areas at 14 and 12.3% respectively.
The unemployment rate gender gap was 3 percentage points in February 2024(Q1) and it declined from 3.7 percentage points in the same quarter last year.
Labour underutilisation
Labour underutilization includes unemployment, time-related underemployment, and potential labour force. The labour underutilization rate was 49.5% in February 2024(Q1). It was higher among females (55.7%) than among males (43.3%). It was also higher among youth (52.6%) than adults (47.4%).