Updated
Updated · capmad.com · Aug 6
Morocco Cuts Q2 Unemployment to 9.5% Under New EMO2026 Survey
Updated
Updated · capmad.com · Aug 6

Morocco Cuts Q2 Unemployment to 9.5% Under New EMO2026 Survey

1 articles · Updated · capmad.com · Aug 6

Summary

  • Morocco's HCP put strict unemployment at 9.5% in Q2 2026, down from 10.8% in Q1 in the first official release using the new EMO2026 labour survey.
  • The 1.3-point drop was sharper in urban areas and extended across groups, with men's unemployment falling to 8.1%, women's to 14.8%, and the 15-24 age group to 27.2%.
  • Labour-market strain still remained pronounced: the combined unemployment and time-related underemployment rate stood at 14.0%, while unemployment plus potential labour force reached 14.7%, including 24.2% for women.
  • Education gaps also persisted under the new measure, with unemployment at 16.7% for advanced-degree holders versus 3.8% for people without diplomas, underscoring weak absorption of skilled workers.
  • EMO2026 now replaces Morocco's former employment survey as the official benchmark, and HCP is publishing back-cast 2017-2025 series ahead of the next quarterly read in Q3 2026.

Insights

Why are Morocco's most educated citizens struggling the most to find jobs in a supposedly improving labor market?
Is Morocco's sudden drop in unemployment a true economic victory, or just a statistical illusion created by its new methodology?