Morocco unemployment drops to 9.5% in Q2 2026 as job creation accelerates

Morocco unemployment Q2 2026 job creation EMO2026 survey youth unemployment services sector jobs

The High Commission for Planning (HCP) reported that Morocco's strict unemployment rate fell to 9.5% in the second quarter of 2026, down 1.3 points from 10.8% in the previous quarter. The rate was 11.9% in urban areas and 5.4% in rural areas. Women faced a higher rate of 14.8% versus 8.1% for men. Youth aged 15‑24 remained the most affected group with a 27.2% unemployment rate.

The new EMO2026 survey, which uses a stricter definition of employment and unemployment, also showed that 279,000 new jobs were created in the quarter, raising total employment to 10.64 million people and lifting the national employment‑to‑population ratio to 38.2% from 37.3% a quarter earlier. The services sector contributed the most, adding 166,000 positions, followed by industry (47,000), construction (42,000) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (28,000). The overall labor force reached 11.76 million, with participation rising to 42.2%.

Entities: Agriculture, forestry and fishing sector · Haut‑Commissariat au Plan (HCP) · High Commission for Planning · High Commission for Planning (HCP) · Industry sector · Morocco · services sector · urban labor market · youth (15‑24)

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] Morocco's labor force reached 11.76 million in Q2 2026. (HCP EMO2026 survey)
[● 3 SOURCES] Youth (15‑24) strict unemployment rate was 27.2% in Q2 2026. (HCP EMO2026 survey)
[● 2 SOURCES] National employment rate rose to 38.2% in Q2 2026. (HCP EMO2026 survey)
[● 2 SOURCES] Urban strict unemployment rate was 11.9% and rural rate 5.4% in Q2 2026. (HCP EMO2026 survey)
[● 2 SOURCES] Female strict unemployment rate was 14.8% and male rate 8.1% in Q2 2026. (HCP EMO2026 survey)
[● 3 SOURCES] Morocco's strict unemployment rate fell to 9.5% in the second quarter of 2026. (HCP EMO2026 survey)
[● 2 SOURCES] The services sector added 166,000 jobs in Q2 2026. (HCP sector breakdown)
[● 2 SOURCES] 279,000 new jobs were created in Morocco in Q2 2026. (HCP employment data)