Youth unemployment on the rise

Unemployment was 6.3 % in the first quarter of this year, up from 6.1 % in the fourth quarter of 2023 but down from 6.7 % in the first quarter of 2023.

According to Statistics Mauritius, compared to the same quarter in 2023, the number of workers increased by 4,700. The employment rate rose by 6,800, while the unemployment rate decreased by 2,100. Meanwhile, the number of people able to work dropped by 2,500.

Of the 37,300 unemployed, 41 % are men and 59 % are women. Additionally, 45 % of the unemployed (16,600 people) do not have a school certificate, and 3,200 have not completed primary school. Furthermore, 36 % of job seekers are between 16 and 24 years old.

In the first quarter of 2024, the youth unemployment rate was estimated at 18.9 %, down from 20 % in the same period the previous year. There were 26,700 foreign workers in 2023, compared to 28,300 in 2022 and 30,000 in 2021. Notably, the average number of working hours per week has decreased, standing at 38.1 hours in the first quarter of this year, compared to over 40 hours in 2023.