Statistics Mauritius has published some figures regarding Labour force, Employment and Unemployment for the second quarter 2023 The unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2023 is estimated at 6.4%, compared to the rate of 6.7% at the first quarter of 2023 and the rate of 8.1% at the second quarter of 2022.. We note that employment of Mauritians is estimated at 553,200 in the second quarter of 2023 compared to 551,800 in the first quarter of 2023 and 515,500 in the second quarter of 2022.
The number of persons considered to be outside the labour force is estimated at 424,400 in the second quarter of 2023 compared to 422,900 in the first quarter of 2023 and 451,500 in the second quarter of 2022.
The main characteristics of the unemployed at the second quarter of 2023 were:
The 38,100 unemployed comprised 15,600 males (41%) and 22,500 females (59%).
(ii0 Around 21,400 (56%) of the unemployed were single; males (83%) and females (38%).
Some 21,400 (56%) of the unemployed did not have the Cambridge School Certificate (SC) or equivalent and among them 3,900 had not even passed the Primary School Achievement Certificate (PSAC)/Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) or equivalent.
- Around 30,600 (80%) had been looking for work for up to one year.
- Some 10,900 (29%) were looking for a job for the first time.
- Around 18,100 (48%) were registered at the Employment Information Centre.
- Some 4,300 or 11% of the unemployed were heads of households.
- Around 5,700 (15%) lived in households with no employed persons.
- Some 13,100 or about 34% of the unemployed were aged between 16 to 24 years.
- There were 7,100 (19%) young persons aged 16 to 24 years, not yet married and looking for a first job. Some 4,300 possessed a qualification below SC.
The activity rate for second quarter 2023 increased by 2.8 percentage points to 58.2% compared to the corresponding quarter of 2022. The male activity rate increased by 1.4 percentage points to 69.8% and the female activity rate increased by 4.1 percentage points to 47.3%.
Compared to first quarter 2023, the activity rate decreased by 0.1 percentage point. The male activity rate decreased by 0.5 percentage point and the female activity rate increased by 0.3 percentage point.
At the second quarter of 2023, unemployed youth aged 16 to 24 years was estimated at 13,100 (6,200 males and 6,900 females) compared to 13,800 (7,000 males and 6,800 females) at the previous quarter and 15,500 (8,300 males and 7,200 females) at the second quarter of 2022.
The youth unemployment rate decreased in the second quarter of 2023 to 18.1% from 26.1% in the corresponding quarter of 2022. During the same period, the rate for young men decreased by 9.8 percentage points to 15.6%, and that for young women decreased by 5.8 percentage points to 21.2%.
Compared to first quarter 2023, the youth unemployment rate decreased from 20.0% to 18.1%, with decreases of 2.5 percentage points for young men and 1.1 percentage points for young women.
