Morocco’s working-age population stood at 27.8 million in the first quarter of 2026, according to the latest note on the labour market issued by the High Commission for Planning.
The figures are based on the new Labour Force Survey (EMO2026), which replaces the former national employment survey and follows updated international standards set by the International Labour Organization’s 19th, 20th and 21st conferences of labour statisticians.
The commission said the working-age population, defined as people aged 15 and over, is split into two main groups: the labour force and those outside it, which includes potential workers.
The labour force, made up of employed people and the narrowly defined unemployed, reached 11.617 million. Around 63.6% of this group live in urban areas. Women accounted for 21% of the labour force, compared with 71.2% among those outside it.
The national labour force participation rate stood at 41.8%, with 41% in urban areas and 43.3% in rural areas. A wide gender gap persists, with participation at 66.4% for men and 17.5% for women.
By age group, participation was highest among those aged 25 to 34 at 56.7%, closely followed by those aged 35 to 44 at 56.5%. It fell to 38% for people aged 45 and over, and to 23.4% among young people aged 15 to 24.
The number of employed people reached 10.364 million. Of these, 61.7% live in urban areas and 19.7% are women.
The employment rate stood at 37.3% nationally, with 35.5% in urban areas and 40.7% in rural areas. It was 60.1% for men compared with 14.7% for women.
