Khaberni - MP Dima Tahboub brought attention through the "Budget Season" series to the unemployment file, which she considers one of the most urgent challenges facing Jordanians, asserting that the budget discussion is incomplete without addressing the deep imbalances in the labor market.
Tahboub revealed, based on responses from the Ministry of Labor and a study by the Jordan Strategy Forum, significant gaps between the government's programs and procedures and the precise digital reality of the labor market, which shows worrying increases in youth and women's unemployment, the dominance of non-Jordanian labor, and the expansion of the informal economy.
Here is the text published by MP Dima Tahboub:
Budget Season... Episode Six
Unemployment... Noise and youth in the grind
Where does the government stand today in the file of unemployment and employment?.
We cannot discuss the budget without addressing one of the most pressing concerns on the people, which is rising unemployment rates, and this is only a symptom of a disease represented by a weak economic and investment wheel and the inability to generate jobs and keep up with the number of graduates.
And I base this information on responses from the Ministry of Labor to my questions in this field and the in-depth study published by the Jordan Strategy Forum on unemployment
These sources clarify the absence of precise figures in government responses, which focused on narrating programs (employment program, flexible work, inspection), and presenting administrative efforts and mentioning laws and regulatory texts, but did not provide the actual number of jobs realized from the national employment program or the real improvement in the unemployment rate or the impact of measures on employing women and youth or the regulation of imported labor on the Jordanian job market.
On the other hand, the independent study shows that any employment policy without impact measurement becomes worthless, and the importance of the forum's study, and comparing it with government responses, is that it provides the first precise digital reading of the Jordanian labor market, and reveals vital gaps not found in government responses.
So, what has become clear to me after comparing information from the two sources? .
Firstly: The real size of unemployment is higher than the government admits
General unemployment rate: 16.6% in the first quarter of 2025
Among Jordanians: 21.3%
Among non-Jordanians: 9.7%
This demonstrates that the unemployment issue is primarily a Jordanian problem and not related to general conditions in the market.
Secondly: Youth and women's unemployment is shocking
Youth unemployment (20–24): more than 44%
Female unemployment: 32.9% compared to 18.2% for males
Yet, government responses did not include any policy specifically targeting these two groups scientifically.
Thirdly: The most dangerous factor: the size of non-Jordanian labor
The study reveals a surprising figure:
Non-Jordanian workforce = 1.42 million individuals
While the Jordanian workforce = 2.01 million
That is, 41% of the labor market is occupied by non-Jordanians.
The most dangerous:
Number of non-Jordanian workers = 1.28 million
Compared to 1.6 million Jordanian workers
That is, for every 10 Jordanian workers, there are 8 non-Jordanian workers.
This is a direct explanation for the high unemployment among Jordanians, which the government did not address at all even though my questions specifically asked about the impact of imported labor.
Fourthly: 43% of the Jordanian labor market is informal
Non-formal labor = 1.4 million
Of which 77% are non-Jordanians
This means: lack of security, low incomes, large competition for Jordanian labor, and financial pressure on the state (support, infrastructure, electricity) and yet, the government had no plan to integrate non-formal labor or reduce its size.
Merging government responses with study results – where is the gap?.
1. The government addresses "outputs" and not "causes"
The government in its answers talked about:
Training
Temporary employment
Inspection
But the study clarifies that the root of the problem is:
Structural imbalance in the market
Dominance of imported labor
Absence of regulation
Wage gap
Expansion of the informal economy
Weak government oversight
And these did not appear at all in government answers.
2. The government claims to provide employment opportunities without data
But did not mention:
Number of employment program opportunities
Worker retention rate after 12 months
How the programs contributed to reducing youth or women's unemployment
While the study provides us with precise figures.
3. Absence of a relationship between imported labor policy and unemployment
The government mentions:
Number of violations by foreigners (34,000)
Number of permits (41,000)
But the study shows:
A huge force of non-Jordanian workers (1.28 million employed)
Including a million unregistered workers
That government measures are very symbolic relative to the size of the problem.
4. The government lacks a sectoral employment strategy
While the study confirms that:
Unemployment among university graduates and unemployment among women and unemployment in the provinces is a result of the absence of clear sectoral policies.
What next? What are the conclusions?
1. Unemployment in Jordan is not just a number issue but a structural labor market problem and consists of five elements:
Dominance of non-Jordanian labor
Expansion of the informal sector
Weak private sector wages
Poor alignment between education and the labor market
Absence of sectoral planning
2. Ministry figures do not reflect the verdade
