The unemployment rate for Iranians of ages 18 to 35 years stood at 17.4% in the fourth quarter of last Iranian year (Dec. 22, 2022-March 20), registering a year-on-year increase of 0.8%, according to the Statistical Center of Iran.
The rate for those between 15 and 24 years stood at 23.1%, registering a 1.1% increase compared with the same period of the year before.
According to SCI, Iran’s overall unemployment rate, the proportion of the jobless population of ages 15 and above, stood at 9.7% in Q4, indicating a 0.3% year-on-year increase.
A total of 2.52 million Iranians were unemployed in Q4. Unemployed men constituted 8.5% while the rate for women hovered around 15.7%.
Over 1.85 million men and 670,349 women of ages 15 and above were jobless in Q4.
The unemployment rate was 10.3% for urban areas (2.05 million people) and 7.9% for rural areas (473,818 people).
SCI put the Q4 labor force participation rate — the proportion of the population of ages 15 and above that is economically active either employed or looking for a job — at 40.5% or 25.96 million people, registering a 0.1% increase year-on-year.
Men’s and women’s economic participation rates were 67.8% and 13.3% respectively in the same period.
A total of 21.7 million men and 4.25 million women of ages 15 and above were economically active in Q4, i.e., they were either employed or looking for a job.
The share of higher education unemployment from the total unemployed population was 37.2% in Q4, which indicates a decrease of 0.9% year-on-year.
The unemployment shares of male and female graduates from the total unemployed population stood at 25.3% and 70.3%, respectively, while the share of higher education unemployment from the total unemployed population was 40.3% in urban areas and 23.9% in rural areas during the period.
Q4 statistics show that 35.6% of the country’s labor force worked more than 49 hours per week, indicating a 1.1% decrease over the same period of last year.
Ilam Province saw the lowest unemployment rate of 6.8% among all Iranian provinces in Q4 while Kurdestan registered the highest unemployment rate of 20.5%.
Twelve provinces, namely Alborz (10.1%), Sistan-Baluchestan and Gilan (each with 10.3%), Ardabil (10.6%), Khuzestan (10.9%), Hormozgan (11.6%), West Azarbaijan (12.1%), Hamedan (12.3%), Lorestan (12.8%), Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari (13.5%), Kermanshah (15.1%) and Kurdestan (20.5%) registered double-digit unemployment rates for people of ages 15 and above in Q4.
Zanjan had the highest labor force participation rate (48.7%) and Ilam had the lowest labor force participation rate (32.3%), whereas Tehran registered a 40.1% participation rate in Q4.
