عربي
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)
About One Fourth of the Participants in the Labour Force in Palestine are Unemployed in the Second Quarter of 2023
The number of employed persons increased by 5 thousands in the 2nd quarter of 2023
The number of employed persons (excluding workers abroad) increased from about 1.146 million in the 1st quarter of 2023 to about 1.151 million in the 2nd quarter of 2023, by 0.5%. This increase is due to the increase in the number of employed persons from the West Bank by 1.5% between the 1st and 2nd quarters 2023, while it decreased in Gaza Strip by 2.8% in the same period.
Moreover, the number of employed persons in Israel during the 1st quarter 2023 and 2nd quarter of 2023 increased by about 14 thousands. The number of employed persons in Israel reached about 139 thousand employed persons in the 2nd quarter of 2023 compared to about 125 thousand employed persons in the 1st quarter of 2023. While the number of employed persons in Israeli settlements decreased from 28 thousands in the 1st quarter of 2023 to 25 thousands in the 2nd quarter of 2023.
The number of workers in Israel and the Israeli settlements increased in most activities; it increased about 4 thousand in construction activity, about 3 thousand workers in the manufacturing activity, about 2 thousand workers in the activity of Commerce, Restaurants and Hotels, about 1 thousand workers in each of the activity of agriculture activity, and transport activity and storage and communications, while the number remains at the same level in the activity of services and other activities1
The average daily wage for wage employees in Israel and Israeli settlements increased from 284 NIS in the 1st quarter of 2023 to 289 NIS in the 2nd quarter of 2023.
A decrease in the number of employed persons in the local market between the 1st quarter and the 2nd quarter of 2023
The number of employed persons in the local market decreased from 993 thousand employed persons in the 1st quarter of 2023 to about 987 thousand employed persons in the 2nd quarter of 2023. It decreased by 2.8% in Gaza Strip, while it increased by 0.2% in the West Bank during the same period.
Results showed that the decrease in the number of employed persons in the local market during the 2nd quarter of 2023 is due to the decrease in the number of employed persons in mining and manufacturing activity, followed by commerce and hotels activity, then by transportation and storage activity, finally the construction activity. While the number increased in agriculture activity and other services[1] activity.
The average weekly working hours for wage employees in the West Bank was 43.3 hours per week compared to 36.4 hours in Gaza Strip. The average monthly working days was 23.0 working days in the West Bank compared to 22.8 working days in Gaza Strip.
7 out of 10 employed persons are wage employees
75% of employed persons are wage employees, 16% of employed persons are self-employed, 5% of employed persons are employers, and 4% are unpaid family members.
More than half of the wage employees in the private sector were hired without any employment contract.
52% of wage employees in the private sector were hired without any employment contract, and 32% of wage employees receive a contribution to their pension fund/end of service compensation. Moreover, 50% of wage female employees receive a paid maternity leave.
36% of wage employees in the private sector receive a monthly wage of less than the minimum wages (1,880 NIS) in Palestine
The percentage of wage employees in the private sector who receive a monthly wage less than the minimum wages in the West Bank was 14% in the 2nd quarter of 2023 (about 43 thousand employees). While it reached about 119 thousands in Gaza Strip with a percentage of about 90% of wage employees in the private during the same period.
It is worth mentioning that the Council of Ministers issued a decree stating that the minimum wage is to be (1,880 NIS) as of the beginning of 2022.
The monthly minimum wage in Gaza Strip was (717 NIS) compared with (1,385 NIS) in the West Bank
One fourth of the labour force participants were unemployed in the 2nd quarter of 2023
The unemployment rate among labour force participants (15 years and above) in the 2nd quarter of 2023 was about 25%, while the total underutilization of labour was about 30%, according to the International Labour Organization Standards (ICLS-19th).
There is still a large disparity in the unemployment rate between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as this rate reached 46% in Gaza Strip compared to 13% in the West Bank. The unemployment rate by sex reached 21% among males compared to 40% among females.
Unemployment Rate (ICLS 19th) by Region, Q2- 2020 – Q2-2023
The number of unemployed persons reached about 379 thousand in the 2nd quarter of 2023; of which 245 thousand persons in Gaza Strip and 134 thousand persons in the West Bank.
The number of persons who are participated in the labour force in the 2nd quarter 2023 reached 1.533 million persons; 1.005 million persons in the West Bank and 528 thousand persons in Gaza Strip. In addition, the participation rate in the labour force remained at the same level of about 45% between the 1st and the 2nd quarter of 2023. It also remained at the same level of about 48% in the West Bank, while it increased from 40% to 41% in Gaza Strip between the first and second quarters respectively.
The participation rate in the labour force among males decreased from 71% to 70% between the 1st and the 2nd quarters, while the percent among females remained at the same level about 19% for the same period .
Within the same context, the total of labour underutilisation reached 479 thousand persons, as this number includes 42 thousand discouraged job seekers and 22 thousands in time-related underemployment.
Unemployment rate was the highest among youth graduates
About 47% is the unemployment rate among youth graduates (aged 19-29 years) who hold Associate Diploma Certificate and higher (32% in the West Bank compared to 70% in Gaza Strip).
[1] Includes: Public administration and defense; compulsory social security, education, human health activities, social work activities, creative, arts and entertainment activities, libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities, sports activities and amusement and recreation activities, activities of membership organizations, other personal service activities, activities of households as employers of domestic personnel and activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies