Amman, Nov. 30 (Petra) -- The Department of Statistics on Sunday reported that the overall unemployment rate among the population in Jordan, including Jordanians and non-Jordanians, stood at 16.2 percent during the third quarter of 2025, down 0.1 percentage points from the third quarter of 2024 and 0.3 percentage points from the second quarter of 2025.
According to the department, unemployment among Jordanian males reached 18 percent in the third quarter, decreasing 0.3 percentage points from the same period in 2024 and 0.1 percentage points from the previous quarter. Over the past three years, unemployment among Jordanian males declined by 4.4 percentage points.
The department noted that the number of Jordanian Social Security subscribers increased for the first time to 96,000 between January 1 and November 15, 2025.
Among individuals aged 24 and over, unemployment among Jordanians reached 17.2 percent, including 13.5 percent for males and 30.1 percent for females. For non-Jordanians in the same age group, unemployment reached 7.1 percent (6.4 percent for males and 11.5 percent for females).
Unemployment among the male population (Jordanians and non-Jordanians) fell to 13.6 percent in the third quarter, marking decreases of 0.5 percentage points from the third quarter of 2024 and 0.8 percentage points from the second quarter of 2025. This is the lowest rate since 2017.
The unemployment rate among Jordanians overall reached 21.4 percent in the third quarter, slightly lower than the 21.5 percent recorded in the same period of 2024 and 0.1 percentage points higher than the second quarter of 2025. The department attributed the quarterly increase to a rise in unemployment among Jordanian women, which reached 33.9 percent, up 0.6 percentage points year-on-year and 1.1 percentage points from the previous quarter. This period coincided with the entry of recent graduates into the labor market.
The unemployment rate among non-Jordanian residents stood at 9.2 percent in the third quarter.
The department clarified that the overall population unemployment indicator encompasses all residents of the Kingdom.
Detailed labor market results showed that 59.1 percent of the unemployed held a high school diploma or higher, while 40.3 percent had qualifications below the secondary level. Ma'an Governorate recorded the highest unemployment rate at 29.4 percent, while Karak Governorate recorded the lowest at 17.3 percent.
Among the population aged 24 and over (Jordanians and non-Jordanians), unemployment reached 12.8 percent, including 10.2 percent for males and 23.7 percent for females.
Regarding employment characteristics, the employment rate reached 83.8 percent of the labor force in the third quarter, 86.4 percent for males and 73 percent for females. Among individuals aged 23 and over, the employment-to-population ratio reached 40.3 percent. Most employed males (56.5 percent) and females (72.5 percent) were between 20 and 39 years old.
The employed population consisted of 27.1 percent with less than a secondary education, 3.6 percent with a secondary qualification, and 51.3 percent with post-secondary qualifications. Wage earners accounted for 88.7 percent of total employment.
The share of expatriate workers increased to 46.4 percent of total employment in the third quarter, up from 46.1 percent in the same period of 2024.
The revised economic participation rate reached 40.5 percent in the third quarter, compared to 41.6 percent a year earlier. Male participation stood at 61.7 percent, while female participation decreased to 16.6 percent from 18.2 percent in the third quarter of 2024. The department noted that female participation in Arab countries averages 18.1 percent.
A disparity persisted in the distribution of the labor force by education and gender: 50.6 percent of the total female labor force held a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to 15.7 percent of males. Meanwhile, 52.1 percent of males had less than a secondary education, compared to 23.1 percent of females. Public sector employment stood at 21.9 percent for both males and females.
For Jordanians only, unemployment decreased by 1.7 percentage points over the past three years. Male unemployment declined to 18 percent, while female unemployment rose to 33.9 percent. Among Jordanians aged 24 and over, unemployment reached 17.2 percent.
The employment rate for Jordanians was 78.6 percent (82 percent for males and 66.1 percent for females). The share of employed Jordanians with less than a secondary education reached 49.2 percent, while 41.1 percent held post-secondary degrees. Wage earners accounted for 85.1 percent of employed Jordanians.
For non-Jordanians, unemployment reached 9.2 percent in the third quarter, with 8.1 percent among males and 14.7 percent among females. The revised economic participation rate among non-Jordanians reached 56.7 percent, including 79.3 percent for males and 23 percent for females.
The quarterly Labor Force Survey sampled 16,560 households across the Kingdom, representing urban and rural areas, and collected data in July, August and September. Interviews assessed job-seeking activity during the four weeks preceding each survey visit, in line with international standards.
//Petra// AJ
