The number of unemployed estimated for the third quarter of 2021 is 762,600 of the total labor force, compared to 746,400 thousand unemployed in the first quarter of 2021, or 16,000 more unemployed in the labor market.
Therefore, the unemployment rate reached 18.4% against 17.9% in the second quarter, announced the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
The unemployment rate posted an increase of 0.5 points for both sexes to 15.9% for men and 24.1% for women, in the third quarter of 2021.
The unemployment rate for youths aged 15 to 24 went up to 42.8% in the third quarter of 2021 from 41.7% in the second quarter. This rate is estimated at 42.8% for males and 41.7% for females.
During the third quarter, the workforce in Tunisia is estimated to average 4.141 million, compared to 4.153 million in the second quarter, a decrease of 11,700 active.
As a result, the activity rate has also declined to 46.5% in the third quarter of 2021, 0.5 points lower than in the second quarter of 2021.
The labor force is divided into 2.854 million men and 1.287 million women. The labor force participation rate is estimated at 65.8% for men and 28.2% for women.
Unemployment rates in regions
The highest unemployment rates are recorded in the Northwest (33%), Southwest (26.3%), Central West (23%) and Southeast (22.5%) regions.
Deviations from the national rate (18.4%) vary between four and fourteen points.
The differences are not statistically significant.
Compared to the second quarter of 2021, the Northwest saw the largest increase (+3 points) followed by the Southwest (+1.3 points), the Center East (+1 point) the Center West (+0.9 points).
Only the Northeast and Southeast regions saw their unemployment rates drop by 1 point and 0.9 point, respectively.
