Palestine: What is the employment and labor situation?

The unemployment rate recorded in 2021 is the same as in 2020, i.e. around 26% of the active population. As for the number of unemployed, it fell from 335,000 in 2020 to 372,000 in 2021, due to the increase in the activity rate and the drop in the employment rate in 2021.

Total labor underutilization fell from around 36% in 2020 to 34% in 2021 corresponding to 524,000 people.

In the West Bank, the governorate of Bethlehem recorded the highest unemployment rate in 2021 (around 25%), followed by the governorates of Jenin and Hebron (around 19% each). The governorate of Jerusalem recorded the lowest unemployment rate (about 4%). In the Gaza Strip, Dier Al-Balah Governorate recorded the highest unemployment rate (about 53%), followed by Khan Yunis Governorate (51%), while Gaza North Governorate recorded the highest unemployment rate. lowest unemployment rate (38%).

The actual average daily wage (base year = 2018) in the private sector was around NIS 97 in Palestine, around NIS 42 in the Gaza Strip and around NIS 119 in the West Bank. salaried employees in Israel and Israeli settlements are excluded.

Construction activity in the private sector recorded the highest average real daily wage (128 NIS in the West Bank and 40 NIS in the Gaza Strip) followed by service activity around 135 NIS in the West Bank and 74 NIS in the Gaza Strip. Agricultural activity recorded the lowest average daily wage (85 NIS in the West Bank and 21 NIS in the Gaza Strip).

108,000 salaried employees in the private sector were paid less than the minimum monthly wage of 1,450 NIS=405€. Among them, 20,000 salaried employees in the West Bank or about 7% of the total number of salaried employees in the private sector in the West Bank received an average monthly salary of 1,098 NIS and 88,000 salaried employees in the Gaza Strip or about 81% of the total number of salaried employees in the private sector in the Gaza Strip received an average monthly salary of 655 NIS.

Labor Minister Nasr Abu Jesh said this week that a modern labor law would be passed to serve the worker and the working class and try to provide them with rights.

According to the Minister, this law will be presented to the Council of Ministers no later than the end of May, then to the President.

Source Embassy of France in Lebanon