Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.

In 2023, the unemployment rate in Pakistan was at approximately 5.41 percent, a slight decrease from 5.49 percent the previous year. Unemployment as an economic key indicatorThe unemployment rate of a country represents the share of people without a job in the country’s labor force, i.e. unemployed persons among those who are able and/or willing to work. Among other factors, it takes population growth into account, and thus increases in the labor force, as well as the age of the population. A high unemployment rate usually indicates economic troubles, with a popular example being Greece, where the unemployment rate skyrocketed from 7.76 percent in 2008 to 27.5 percent as a result of the Great Recession. From plowshares to keyboardsWhile Pakistan’s unemployment slumped below the one percent mark in 2010, it is now on the rise again and currently standing at just over four percent. Traditionally, most Pakistanis work in agriculture however, the lion’s share of the country’s GDP is generated by services, like tourism, banking, and IT. While agriculture is still important for Pakistan’s economy, the services sector is gaining ground in the country, and more and more people are moving to urban areas from the countryside to find jobs in the cities.

Pakistan Unemployment Rate: Urban data was reported at 7.230 % in 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.980 % for 2015. Pakistan Unemployment Rate: Urban data is updated yearly, averaging 7.950 % from Jun 1990 (Median) to 2018, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.920 % in 2001 and a record low of 4.580 % in 1990. Pakistan Unemployment Rate: Urban data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.G002: Labour Force Survey: Population, Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment. No data for 2016-2017 as per source. Labour Force Survey has not been conducted for these two years due to Population Census.

In 2023, the youth unemployment rate in Pakistan remained nearly unchanged at around 9.65 percent. Still, 2023 marked the second consecutive decline of the youth unemployment rate. The youth unemployment rate refers to the share of the economically active population aged 15 to 24 currently without work but in search of employment. The youth unemployment rate does not include economically inactive persons such as the long-term unemployed or full-time students.Find more key insights for the youth unemployment rate in countries like Nepal and Afghanistan.

Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate data was reported at 3.604 % in Jun 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.824 % for Mar 2015. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate data is updated quarterly, averaging 5.217 % from Sep 2012 (Median) to Jun 2015, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.500 % in Dec 2012 and a record low of 2.679 % in Jun 2014. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Quarterly.

Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) in Pakistan was reported at 9.711 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data was reported at 34.534 % in Jun 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 29.246 % for Mar 2015. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data is updated quarterly, averaging -11.893 % from Mar 2014 (Median) to Jun 2015, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34.534 % in Jun 2015 and a record low of -55.348 % in Jun 2014. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Quarterly.

Pakistan: Unemployment rate forecast: The latest value from 2028 is 5 percent, a decline from 5.5 percent in 2027. In comparison, the world average is 6.50 percent, based on data from 99 countries. Historically, the average for Pakistan from 1983 to 2028 is 5.79 percent. The minimum value, 3.07 percent, was reached in 1987 while the maximum of 8.5 percent was recorded in 2023.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) in Pakistan was reported at 6.338 % in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Unemployment, total (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

This statistic presents the unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 to 24 years in Pakistan from 2005 to 2016. In 2016, approximately 10.7 percent of the labor force aged 15 to 24 years in Pakistan were unemployed.

Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data was reported at -35.193 % in 2014. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.143 % for 2011. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 % from Dec 1986 (Median) to 2014, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 103.226 % in 1991 and a record low of -35.193 % in 2014. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Annual.

Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data was reported at -5.755 % in Jun 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of -20.515 % for Mar 2015. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data is updated quarterly, averaging -5.259 % from Dec 2012 (Median) to Jun 2015, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 109.869 % in Sep 2014 and a record low of -20.515 % in Mar 2015. Pakistan PK: Unemployment Rate: % Change over Previous Period data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Quarterly.

Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate) in Pakistan was reported at 10.24 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Pakistan Unemployment Rate: Rural data was reported at 5.030 % in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.010 % for 2015. Pakistan Unemployment Rate: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 5.010 % from Jun 1990 (Median) to 2018, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.550 % in 2003 and a record low of 2.600 % in 1990. Pakistan Unemployment Rate: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.G002: Labour Force Survey: Population, Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment. No data for 2016-2017 as per source. Labour Force Survey has not been conducted for these two years due to Population Census.

Abstract

The major aim of the survey is to collect a set of comprehensive statistics on the various dimensions of country’s civilian labour force as a means to pave the way for skill development, planning, employment generation, assessing the role and importance of the informal sector and, sizing up the volume, characteristics and contours of employment. The broad objectives of the survey are as follows: - To collect data on the socio-demographic characteristics of the total population i.e. age, sex, marital status, level of education, current enrolment and migration etc; - To acquire current information on the dimensions of national labour force; i.e. number of persons employed, unemployed, and underemployed or out of labour market; - To gather descriptive facts on the engagement in major occupational trades and the nature of work undertaken by the institution/organization; - To profile statistics on employment status of the individuals, i.e. whether they are employers, own account workers, unpaid family workers or paid employees (regular/casual); - To classify non-agricultural enterprises employing household member(s) as formal and informal; - To quantify the hours worked at main/subsidiary occupations; - To provide data on wages and mode of payment for paid employees; - To make an assessment of occupational health and safety of employed persons by causes, type of treatment, conditions that caused the accident/injury and time of recovery; and - To collect data on the characteristics of unemployed persons i.e. age, sex, level of education, previous experience if any, occupation, industry, employment status related to previous job, waiting time invested in the quest for work, their availability for work and expectations for future employment.

The reference period is a week i.e. seven days before the date of enumeration.

Geographic coverage

The survey covers all urban and rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan defined as such by 1998 Population Census, excluding Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and military restricted areas. The population of excluded areas constitutes about 2% of the total population. All sample enumeration blocks in urban areas and mouzas/dehs/villages in rural areas are enumerated.

Analysis unit

Individual

Universe

The universe for Labour Force Survey consists of all urban and rural areas of the four provinces of Pakistan defined as such by 1998 Population Census excluding FATA and military restricted areas. The population of excluded areas constitutes about 2% of the total population.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sample Design: A stratified two-stage sample design is adopted for the survey.

Sampling Frame: Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) has developed its own sampling frame for urban areas. Each city/town is divided into enumeration blocks. Each enumeration block is comprised of 200 to 250 households on the average with well-defined boundaries and maps.The list of enumeration blocks as updated through Economic Census 2003-04 and the list of villages/mouzas/dehs of 1998 Population Census are taken as sampling frames. Enumeration blocks & villages are considered as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) for urban and rural domains respectively.

Stratification Plan Urban Domain: Karachi, Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sialkot, Sargodha, Bahawalpur, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad are considered as large cities. Each of these cities constitutes a separate stratum, further sub-stratified according to low, middle and high income groups based on the information collected in respect of each enumeration block at the time of demarcation/ updating of urban area sampling frame. Remaining Urban Areas: In all the four provinces after excluding the population of large cities from the population of an administrative division, the remaining urban population is grouped together to form a stratum. Rural Domain: Each administrative district in the Punjab, Sindh and North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) is considered an independent stratum whereas in Balochistan, each administrative division constitutes a stratum.

Selection of primary sampling units (PSUs): Enumeration blocks in urban domain and mouzas/dehs/villages in rural are taken as Primary Sampling Units (PSUs). In the urban domain, sample PSUs from each ultimate stratum/sub-stratum are selected with probability proportional to size (PPS) method of sampling scheme. In urban domain, the number of households in an enumeration block as updated through Economic Census 2003 and village population of 1998 Census for rural domain is considered as measure of size. Selection of secondary sampling units (SSUs): The listed households of sample PSUs are taken as Secondary Sampling Units (SSUs). A specified number of households i.e. 12 from each urban sample PSU, 16 from rural sample PSU are selected with equal probability using systematic sampling technique with a random start.

Sample Size and Its Allocation: A sample of 36400 households is considered appropriate to provide reliable estimates of key labour force characteristics at National/Provincial level. The entire sample of households (SSUs) is drawn from 2576 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) out of which 1204 are urban and 1372 are rural. The overall sample has been distributed evenly over four quarters independently. As urban population is more heterogeneous therefore, a higher proportion of sample size is allocated to urban domain. To produce reliable estimates, a higher proportion of sample is assigned to NWFP and Balochistan in consideration to their smallness. After fixing the sample size at provincial level, further distribution of sample PSUs to different strata in rural and urban domains in each province is made proportionately.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The Labour Force Survey Questionnaire is made up of 10 Sections and covers the following: - Household compositiuon and demographic information - Current activity of all household members (10 years and over) - Underemployment - For Paid employees only - Occupational Injuries/Diseases (All employed persons) - Unemployment

Cleaning operations

Soon after data collection, the supervisors edit, check and clean the filled-in questionnaires manually for consistency and completeness and refer back to field where necessary. Editing and coding is done at headquarter by the subject matter section. Computer edit checks are applied to get even with errors identified at the stage of data entry. The relevant numerical techniques are used to eliminate erroneous data resulting from mistakes made during coding. The survey records are further edited and rectified through a series of computer processing stages.

Response rate

The number of sample households 36253(99.6% of the total sample) enumerated is less than the estimated sample size 36400 due to non-contact and refusal cases in urban and rural areas.

Iraq was, by far, the country with the highest unemployment rate among foreign-born citizens in the world, with nearly half of the country's foreign-born population being unemployed in 2023. By comparison, Eswatini and Pakistan, the two countries with the second and third highest foreign-born unemployment rate, had rates below 24 percent.

The number of unemployed persons in Pakistan decreased to 4510 Thousand in 2021 from 4710 Thousand in 2019. This dataset provides - Pakistan Unemployed Persons - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate for people of white ethnicity in the United Kingdom was 3.6 percent, the lowest of the provided ethnic groups in this quarter. By contrast, the unemployment rate for people in the Pakistani ethnic group was 10.7 percent.

In 2022, 36.43 percent of the workforce in Pakistan worked in the agricultural sector, about a quarter worked in industry, and 38.05 percent in the services sector. The primary sectorThe most common breakdown of a country’s economy is into three sectors; the primary sector, which includes agriculture, raw materials, fishing, and hunting, the secondary sector, which is also called the industrial sector and includes manufacturing, and the tertiary sector, which encompasses intangible goods and services, like financial services, tourism, or telecommunications. Usually, an advanced economy focuses on the services sector, while in a developing economy, the primary sector is still prevalent. In Pakistan, agriculture plays an important role in trade and production, and most Pakistanis are employed in the agricultural sector – however, the services sector generates the lion’s share of GDP Is Pakistan on the verge of being a developed country?Typically, a developed country shifts GDP generation and employment to intangible goods, which also often means that its citizens move to the city, away from rural areas. In Pakistan, urbanization progresses slowly, and most inhabitants live in rural areas. One reason for this is Pakistan’s vast arable land area, which allows for the production and export of raw materials. To be a developed country, Pakistan still needs to put in some work and improve the standard of living and infrastructure, among other factors.

This dataset provides values for UNEMPLOYMENT RATE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.