Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)

  Press Release on the Results of the Labour Force Survey

(January– March, 2014) Round

  Main Results

The labour force participation rate of persons aged 15 years and above was 46.3%

The number of persons participating in the labour force in Palestine was about 1,253,600 in the 1^st quarter 2014:فىفاع فال; about 812,200 in the West Bank and about 441,400 in Gaza Strip.

Labour Force Participation Rate by Sex, Q1-2012- Q1-2014

26.2% the unemployment rate among labour force participants

Using ILO standards, the number of unemployed was increased from 301,200 in the 4^th quarter 2013 to 328,000 in the 1^st quarter 2014: the number increased in Gaza Strip from 159,600 in 4^th quarter 2013 to 180,200 in 1^st quarter 2014, also it increased in the West Bank from 141,600 to 147,800 in the same period.

The unemployment rate in Gaza Strip increased from 38.5% in the 4^th quarter 2013 to 40.8% in the 1^st quarter 2014 while it was at the same level in the West Bank at 18.2% in the same period, and the unemployment rate for males in Palestine was 23.3% compared with 36.5% for females in the 1^st quarter 2014. 

The highest unemployment rate in the 1^st quarter 2014 was 43.0% among youth aged    20-24 years. For years of schooling, the unemployment rate among females with 13 years of schooling or more was 49.7%.

The highest unemployment rates in the West Bank governorates was in Jerusalem with 21.4%. In Gaza Strip, the highest unemployment rate was in Khan Younis with 46.4%.

According to the relaxed definition of unemployment in Palestine, the unemployment rate increased from 28.6% in the 4^th quarter 2013 to 29.3% in the 1^st quarter 2014.

Unemployment Rate by Region, Q1-2012- Q1-2014

Increased the number of employment in the local market between the 4^th quarter 2013 and 1^st quarter 2014

The number of employed in the local market increased from 786,700 in the 4^th quarter 2013 to 814,600 in the 1^st quarter 2014. The number of employed persons in the West Bank increased by 21,500, and the number of employed persons in Gaza Strip increased by 6,400.

The services sector was the biggest employer in the local market with 32.6% in the West Bank and 56.3% in Gaza Strip.

The public sector employed 22.9% of those in employment: 40.5% in Gaza Strip and 15.9% in the West Bank.

The average daily wage for wage employees in the West Bank was 90.2 NIS compared with 61.7 NIS in Gaza Strip.

The average weekly hours worked by wage employees in the West Bank was 42.8 per week in the 4^th quarter 2013 compared with 44.2 in the 1^st quarter 2014. The average number of days worked per month decreased from 22.4 to 21.9 over the same period.  The average number of hours worked per week in Gaza Strip was 36.6 hours per week in the 4^th quarter 2013 compared with 38.3 in the 1^st quarter 2014, while the average number of days worked per month decreased from 24.2 to 23.9 days over the same period.

Number of employed in Israel and Israeli settlements about 110,300 in the 1^st  quarter 2014

The number of employed persons from the West Bank employed in Israel and Israeli settlements increased from 104,700 in the 4^th quarter 2013 to 110,300 in the 1^st quarter 2014. Of these, 55,500 had a permit, 38,600 worked without a permit and 16,200 employed persons have an Israeli identity card or foreign passport.

Increased the number of employees in Israeli settlements from 18,900 in the 4^th quarter 2013 to 23,200 in 1^st  quarter 2014.

63.0% of employed in Israel and Israeli settlements work in the construction sector.

The average daily wage for persons employed in Israel and Israeli settlements reached 182.6 NIS in the 1^st  quarter 2014 compared with 182.9 NIS in the 4^th quarter 2013.

The average number of hours worked per week reached 43.1 in the 1^st  quarter 2014 compared with 41.8 in the 4^th quarter 2013.

The average number of days worked per month reached 19.8 in the 1^st quarter 2014 compared with 19.7 in the 4^th quarter 2013.

Employment status in the 1^st quarter 2014                    

67.6% of employed persons are wage employees: 64.8% in the West Bank compared with 74.6% in Gaza Strip.

18.6% of employed persons are self- employed; 18.8% in the West Bank and 18.3% in Gaza Strip.

7.1% of employed persons are unpaid family members: 8.9% in the West Bank and 2.6% in Gaza Strip.

6.7% of employed persons are employers: 7.5% in the West Bank and 4.5% in Gaza Strip.

Percentage Distribution of Employed Persons by Employment Status, Q1-2014

Working benefits for wage employees in the private sector

27.2% of wage employees are hired by contract (9.1% of them with limited period and 18.1% with unlimited period), compared with 49.6% hired without any contract.

20.7% of wage employees contribute to a pension fund: 22.1% have annual paid leave, 36.5% of wage employees women have paid maternity leave.

27.6% of employed persons in Palestine are affiliated to a workers vocational union: 14.3% in the West Bank and 61.5% in Gaza Strip.

35.8% of wage employees in the private sector receive less than minimum wage in Palestine.

In the West Bank about 22.1% of wage employees in the private sector receive less than minimum monthly wage about 48,700 wage employees with average monthly wage 1,030 NIS. the large number of those who receive less the minimum monthly wage are in the north of the West Bank about 23,200 person with average monthly wage 1,065 NIS, followed by south of the West Bank governorates about 19,100 with 977 NIS.

In Gaza Strip the percentage of wage employees in the private sector was 69.7% about 62,000 wage employees with average monthly wage 708 NIS. the large number of those who receive less than minimum monthly wage are in north Gaza Strip about 37,500 person with average monthly wage 718 NIS, followed by middle Gaza Strip governorates about 18,100 with 707 NIS. 

4.1% of children aged 10-17 years are employed

4.1% of children aged 10-17 years are employed: 5.7% in the West Bank and 1.6% in Gaza Strip.

Data collection of labour force survey  was funded by the European Union.