185,000 Jordanians Entered the Labor Market, 89,500 Exited in 2024 — Jordan Economic Forum - Jordan News

Jordan News

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The Jordan Economic Forum released a fact sheet on Saturday titled 'New Jobs in Jordan in 2024: Where Are They Concentrated and Who Are They Created For?', analyzing net job creation as a key metric of the economy's ability to absorb new labor market entrants and reduce unemployment. اضافة اعلان According to the fact sheet, 184,926 individuals aged 15 and above joined the labor market in 2024, while approximately 89,584 exited, resulting in a net job creation of 96,421. This figure represents 96.4% of the annual target set under the Economic Modernization Vision, reflecting tangible efforts to foster sustainable employment and improve living standards. Gender & Sector Distribution Males accounted for 69.3% of the new jobs (66,804 jobs), while females made up 30.7% (29,617 jobs). 75.7% of jobs were created in the private sector, underscoring the impact of economic reforms. Public sector jobs made up 23.6% of the total. Jobs by Nationality The majority of the new jobs — 90% — went to Jordanian nationals, with 6.2% going to non-Jordanian Arabs and 3.7% to non-Arab foreigners, indicating a focus on employing the domestic workforce. Sectoral Breakdown The largest shares of new jobs were concentrated in: Manufacturing and wholesale/retail trade (each 15.4%) Public administration and defense (14.6%) Education (11.5%) Health (10.2%) This reflects a balanced contribution from both productive and service sectors, especially those with direct social impact. Geographic Distribution Amman led with 56.6% of net job creation. Zarqa followed with 11.6%, then Irbid with 9.5%. Ajloun had the lowest share at 0.4%. Unemployment Trends Despite progress, unemployment only dropped slightly from 22% in 2023 to 21.4% in 2024, suggesting that job creation — although near target — had a limited immediate impact on unemployment due to rising numbers of job seekers and graduates. Forum President's Remarks Forum Chairman Mazen Al-Hamoud stressed the need to: Continue supporting high-potential job-generating sectors. Invest in underdeveloped governorates. Focus on job quality and sustainability.
He highlighted that the data indicates the Jordanian economy is becoming more dynamic in job creation, reflecting the positive outcomes of national policy and stimulus programs. However, continued effort is crucial to meet the broader goals of the Economic Modernization Vision, especially in integrating youth and new labor market entrants.