Labor market in Syria

Available 2024 ILO model estimates place labor-force participation in Syria at 37.9%, with 62.8% for men and 13.3% for women. The estimated unemployment rate is 13%, including 24.7% for women and 31.5% for young people. These figures should be read cautiously because current Syrian labor statistics are incomplete and outdated, and the model uses the latest Syrian data point from 2010. About 25% of workers are estimated to live below USD 2.15 per person per day at purchasing-power parity. Daily work, informal self-employment and family-based activity are widespread, while formal employers include state bodies, private companies, cooperatives, NGOs and UN organizations involved in services and reconstruction. Agriculture is a central livelihood source, with about 45% of the population depending on it for income or subsistence. Field work, livestock, agricultural trade and seasonal jobs are particularly exposed to drought and harvest conditions. In 2025, drought reduced grain production to about 1.2 million tonnes, more than 60% below the five-year average. Construction and reconstruction, debris removal, infrastructure, electricity, transport and logistics are major work areas. Manufacturing includes food, textiles and clothing, chemicals, plastics and machinery. Trade, restaurants, local services, education, health and information technology also provide jobs. Tourism, oil and gas have recovery potential but remain volatile. A 2025 assessment of 140 factories found that 44% planned to hire within six months, while 56% reported that weak demand, wages, liquidity or energy problems prevented recruitment. Workers enter the market through general school or university education, state technical institutes, private vocational institutes, secondary or post-secondary technical and vocational education and training (TVET), non-formal courses, workplace learning, apprenticeships and family businesses. Among recruited industrial workers, 20% had elementary education, 22% secondary education, 21% university education, 9% secondary TVET, 19% post-secondary or intermediate TVET and 8% non-formal training. About one third of employers reported no suitable local training offer. State technical institutes provided 52% of reported training offers and private institutes 15%. Employers most often identified gaps in technical skills, work experience, academic qualifications and core skills. They most often sought sector-specific technical knowledge, organizational knowledge, advanced information-technology skills and adaptability. Only 21% of employers had an active TVET partnership, and 90% reported no apprenticeship or work-based learning arrangement. Pay depends on the sector, governorate, employer, form of work and currency conditions. A SANA report dated 25 March 2026 listed a monthly minimum wage of 12,560 new Syrian pounds, equal to 1,256,000 old Syrian pounds after the currency change; the reported 2025 figure was 7,500 new Syrian pounds, or 750,000 old Syrian pounds. Public-sector wages were increased by 50% under Decree 67/2026 and by 200% under Decree 102/2025. Nominal amounts should always identify whether they use new or old Syrian pounds. Daily or informal work can sometimes pay more immediately than a permanent job, but it usually provides less stability and weaker protection. The December 2025 minimum expenditure basket was about 2.2 million old Syrian pounds, roughly three times the minimum wage then reported. No reliable current national median wage is available. The المؤسسة العامة للتأمينات الاجتماعية uses a contribution wage floor of 12,560 new Syrian pounds and a ceiling of 211,400 new Syrian pounds from 1 June 2026. The formal matching system includes public employment offices, مكاتب التشغيل, and private employment agencies under Labour Law 17/2010. In practice, many people find work through family and community contacts, local networks, direct approaches to employers, daily labor markets, NGO and UN livelihood programs or informal self-employment. UNDP programs include labor-intensive public works, skills training and small-business recovery. Nationwide coverage, fees and processing times for employment services are not reliably documented. Syria has 14 governorates, but robust governorate-level comparisons are limited. Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Hama have the strongest available industrial and skills information. Aleppo, Idleb, Hama, Homs and Damascus face substantial return and work pressure. Ar-Raqqa, Al-Hasakeh and Deir ez-Zor have agricultural, energy and logistics potential but also face drought, security and fragmented governance. Latakia and Tartous combine port activity, agriculture and services, while southern governorates have agricultural, trade and reconstruction activity. Formal access commonly depends on an employment contract, qualifications and identity documents. Non-nationals fall under Title III of Labour Law 17/2010 and may need residence and work authorization. Refugees may need UNHCR documentation, proof of legal entry and lawful residence. Restrictive permit and documentation practices can limit access. Returnees and internally displaced people may also face missing documents, housing or property problems, security restrictions and local barriers. Women, young people and people with disabilities face additional disadvantages; 81% of surveyed employers reported measures for women, but only 14% employed people with disabilities. The formal framework covers contracts, termination, wages, working time, protection for young people and women, disability, leave, collective bargaining, dispute settlement, occupational safety and inspection. Public servants are also subject to separate rules. Since December 2024, political transition and return movements have increased pressure on local labor markets. UNHCR household interviews in the first quarter of 2026, covering 7,120 households across all 14 governorates, found about 30% unemployed and employment mostly informal or unstable. Since December 2024, about 1.6 million refugees and 1.9 million internally displaced people had returned. Missing income is often an immediate barrier to return. Energy shortages, limited liquidity, sanctions and trade constraints, insecurity and drought damage continue to weaken the connection between workers and employers. Reconstruction, energy, agricultural resilience, textiles and industry, and local businesses are the main employment growth scenarios. A work search should therefore compare the reliability of the employer, the payment basis, documentation requirements, location, safety conditions, training value and whether the work is seasonal, daily or contract-based.