Between 2023 and 2024, the national economy witnessed the creation of 82,000 jobs, with urban areas contributing 162,000 positions and rural regions losing 80,000, according to a report released today by the High Commission for Planning. This development follows a significant loss of 157,000 jobs the previous year, as detailed in the commission's latest note on the state of the labor market in 2024. Job growth was primarily driven by an increase in paid employment, which saw a rise of 177,000 positions. In contrast, unpaid employment experienced a decline, with 95,000 fewer jobs. The services sector emerged as a major contributor, adding 160,000 jobs. The «industry» sector followed with 46,000 new positions, and «construction and public works» added 13,000 jobs. However, the «agriculture, forestry, and fishing» sector faced a substantial loss, shedding 137,000 jobs. The unemployment rate saw an uptick, with an additional 58,000 people unemployed, including 42,000 in urban areas and 15,000 in rural regions, bringing the total number of unemployed individuals nationwide to 1,638,000. Nationally, the unemployment rate increased from 13% to 13.3%. In urban areas, it rose slightly from 16.8% to 16.9%, while rural areas experienced a more pronounced increase from 6.3% to 6.8%. Unemployment remains particularly high among young people aged 15-24 (36.7%), individuals with degrees (19.6%), and women (19.4%). During the same period, underemployment also rose, climbing from 1,043,000 to 1,082,000 people nationally. Urban areas saw an increase from 560,000 to 585,000, and rural areas from 483,000 to 496,000. The underemployment rate edged up from 9.8% to 10.1% nationally, from 8.7% to 8.9% in urban areas, and from 11.6% to 12.2% in rural areas.
