Unemployment in Ethiopia

The way unemployment is counted affects the reported rate. ESS labour statistics use an age basis of 10 years and older, while the youth measure covers ages 15 to 29. In the 2021 labour-force survey, the unemployment rate was 5.0% for men, 11.7% for women, 17.9% in urban areas and 5.2% in rural areas. The 2022 urban survey recorded an annual average of 1,951,375 unemployed people, with rates of 10.8% for men, 28.6% for women and 26.8% for young people. The 2022 figures excluded Tigray and non-conventional households, so they are not directly interchangeable with the national 2021 figures. A newer ESS 2024/25 national release exists, but the detailed values used here come from the specified earlier surveys. The system for people seeking work is fragmented across institutions. ESS measures unemployment. The Ministry of Labour and Skills, regional labour bureaus, city administrations and Woreda Labour or Employment Offices handle registration and employment services. A ሥራ ፈላጊ is a job seeker. E-LMIS and Job Centers provide digital or local services for registering job seekers and vacancies. Private Employment Agencies may also provide employment services when legally authorized. The usual public matching process starts with registration at the responsible local labour office. The office records the job seeker's information, screens the profile, and may issue a referral card or letter for a suitable vacancy. The employer makes the final selection and should provide the result to the office so that the placement record can be updated. Vacancies may be permanent, contract-based or temporary. Registration does not guarantee a job, and Ethiopia has no uniform national service deadline or standard fee established for this process. Documents, timing and any charge can vary by region, city and office. Addis Ababa has more specific rules under Directive 119/2014, which do not automatically apply throughout Ethiopia. The directive covers people aged 18 to 60 who have a valid Addis Ababa resident ID, do not hold a permanent job and can provide the required evidence. Graduates present the original and a copy of their education certificate. Registration takes place in person at the relevant Woreda Office. Youth, women, people with disabilities and returnees receive priority under the Addis procedure. When a registered job seeker obtains permanent employment, the job-seeker card should be returned and the record updated. Ethiopia does not replace lost employment income through a nationwide unemployment benefit. The rural PSNP supports food-insecure or vulnerable households through public works or direct support. The urban UPSNP supports eligible poor or vulnerable households through public works, direct support and livelihood or job-readiness measures. Unemployment alone is not an apparent eligibility criterion for either programme. Family and community support can help during a period without work, but it does not create a clearly established legal entitlement. Temporary work, self-employment or an informal activity may provide an income transition without automatically ending every registration or creating continuing protection; the local office's record and rules determine the practical treatment.