Jobs gap in MENA

MENA: Jobs gap was 37,971 in 2027. ▲ Rising

Latest (2027)
37,971
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
28th
of 87 groups
All-time high
37,971
in 2027
All-time low
26,930
in 2004
Years of data
24
2004–2027

Jobs gap in MENA, 2004–2027

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k2004201520272004: 26.9k2005: 27.8k2006: 27.4k2007: 27.7k2008: 27.6k2009: 28.2k2010: 29.6k2011: 31.5k2012: 32.8k2013: 32.8k2014: 33.6k2015: 35.2k2016: 35.8k2017: 36.6k2018: 35.9k2019: 35.1k2020: 37.6k2021: 36.5k2022: 34.8k2023: 34.7k2024: 36.3k2025: 36.9k2026: 37.5k2027: 38.0k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for jobs gap in MENA is 37,971, measured in 2027. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, jobs gap in MENA peaked at 37,971 in 2027 and was at its lowest, 26,930, in 2004.

That places MENA 28th out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Jobs gap in MENA, year by year

Annual values for Jobs gap (ILO modelled estimates) in MENA, 2004 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2004 26,930
2005 27,834 +3.4%
2006 27,413 -1.5%
2007 27,690 +1.0%
2008 27,619 -0.3%
2009 28,194 +2.1%
2010 29,591 +5.0%
2011 31,451 +6.3%
2012 32,798 +4.3%
2013 32,774 -0.1%
2014 33,607 +2.5%
2015 35,165 +4.6%
2016 35,818 +1.9%
2017 36,588 +2.1%
2018 35,892 -1.9%
2019 35,074 -2.3%
2020 37,604 +7.2%
2021 36,511 -2.9%
2022 34,817 -4.6%
2023 34,728 -0.3%
2024 36,284 +4.5%
2025 36,893 +1.7%
2026 37,497 +1.6%
2027 37,971 +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 27,613 26,930 28,194 6
2010s 33,876 29,591 36,588 10
2020s 36,538 34,728 37,971 8

More work & labour data for MENA

All data for MENA →

Frequently asked questions

What is jobs gap in MENA?
Jobs gap in MENA was 37,971 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest jobs gap recorded in MENA?
The highest recorded value was 37,971 in 2027.
What is the lowest jobs gap recorded in MENA?
The lowest recorded value was 26,930 in 2004.
How does MENA rank for jobs gap?
MENA ranks 28th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is jobs gap rising or falling in MENA?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this MENA data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Jobs gap (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Jobs gap in MENA. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/jobs-gap-ilo-modelled-estimates/mena/

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About this data

Indicator
Jobs gap (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,088 data points, 2004–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The jobs gap is defined as the sum of the unemployed, the potential labour force and willing non-jobseekers. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.