ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The unemployment rate in Pakistan has increased to 7.1% that was recorded at 6.3% in 2020-21.
This was reflected in results of the National Labour Force Survey 2024-25.
The survey stated that unemployment increased by 0.8% in the last 5 years, and currently, approximately 5.9 million people in Pakistan are unemployed.
The survey mentioned that according to the 2023 census, the country’s population is 241.49 million, and 3.3% of Pakistan’s population is unemployed.
According to the Labour Force Survey, the services sector is in the top position for providing employment. The agricultural sector is second and the industrial sector is third in providing employment.
Around 31.83 million people are employed in the services sector, and the employment rate in the services sector is the highest at 41.7%.
The labour survey stated that the employment rate in the agricultural sector is 33.1%, with 25.53 million people employed in agriculture, while the employment rate in the industrial sector is 25.7%.
According to the survey, 19.86 million people are employed in the industrial sector.
The survey stated that the average monthly per capita wage in Pakistan is Rs39,042. In the last 5 years, the average monthly wage increased by Rs15,014.
In 2020-21, the monthly wage was Rs24,028. The monthly wage for men was recorded at Rs39,302 and for women at Rs37,347.
According to the survey, the unemployment rate has increased in all four provinces over the past 5 years.
KP has highest unemployment rate
The Labour Force Survey stated that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has the highest unemployment rate, with unemployment in the province increasing from 8.81% to 9.2%.
According to the Labour Force Survey, unemployment in Punjab increased from 6.8% to 7.1%, in Balochistan the rate increased from 4.3% to 5.4%, and in Sindh, it increased from 3.9% to 5.1%.
The Labour Force Survey stated that 11.9% of individuals with Master’s, MPhil, and PhD degrees are unemployed.
In 2020-21, the unemployment rate among highly educated individuals was 12.2%, and in 2025, 10.9% of individuals with graduation degrees are unemployed.
According to the Survey, in 2025, 12.5% of individuals with intermediate education did not find employment, and 8.4% of matric pass individuals could not secure a place in the job market.
In the matric category, the unemployment rate was 8.6% in 2020-21. 6% of individuals with less than matric education are also unemployed. The unemployment rate among illiterate individuals increased from 3.2% to 4.4%.
