The urban female unemployment rate for those aged 15 and above dropped to 8.5% in April 2026, marking the lowest level since April 2025, as per official data from the Ministry of Statistics. In the same period, the overall urban workers’ participation rate (WPR) for individuals above 15 years old, which indicates employment levels, held steady at 46.8%.
The country’s overall labor force participation rate (LFPR), another employment indicator, was recorded at 55.0% in April, down from 55.4% in March 2026, according to the statistics. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) by the National Statistics Office (NSO) offers crucial insights into activity participation, employment, and unemployment trends.
During the January-March quarter of 2026, urban unemployment decreased, while rural employment in the secondary and tertiary sectors saw an uptick, as highlighted in a Ministry of Statistics statement earlier in the week. The urban overall unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 and above showed a decreasing trend, standing at 6.6% in the January-March 2026 quarter.
In rural areas, the percentage of regular wage and salaried employees rose to 15.5% in January-March from 14.8% in the previous quarter. Notably, rural employment in the secondary and tertiary sectors increased, with a structural pattern where the rural workforce is mainly engaged in the primary sector and the urban workforce in the tertiary sector.
