On August 18, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported on socio-economic situation over the first seven months of the year. In particular, the labor force participation rate stood at 61.5 percent in the second quarter of 2026, down 0.4 percentage points from a year earlier, the office said.
According to the Labor Force Survey for the second quarter, 61.5 percent, or 1.4 million people, of the population aged 15 and over nationwide make up the labor force, while 38.5 percent, or 906,200 people, remain outside it. Of the 1.4 million in the labor force, 94.5 percent, or roughly 1.3 million people, are employed, and 5.5 percent, or 79,300 people, are unemployed.
The employment rate fell to 58.1 percent in the second quarter, down one percentage point from the same period last year. Among the 906,200 people outside the labor force, 5.5 percent, or 50,100 people, are considered potential labor force, meaning they are willing to work but have not sought employment for various reasons or are otherwise unable to work directly.
Labor underutilization indicators point to a weakening jobs picture. Compared with the same period last year, the number of unemployed citizens rose by 13,400 and the potential labor force grew by 25,900, while the number of part-time workers fell by 741.
By economic sector, the service sector accounted for the largest share of employment in the second quarter, with 52.3 percent, or 714,900 workers. Industry and construction employed 24 percent, or 328,500 workers, and agriculture accounted for 23.7 percent, or 324,700 workers.
Within those broad categories, wholesale and retail trade, along with motor vehicle and motorcycle repair and service, employed the largest share outside agriculture at 12.5 percent, or 171,000 people. Education followed at 9.1 percent, or 124,500 people, construction at 7.9 percent, or 108,100 people, mining and quarrying at 6.9 percent, or 94,300 people, and manufacturing at 6.8 percent, or 93,400 people.
Compared with a year earlier, the share of the workforce in agriculture, forestry and fisheries fell by 2.9 percentage points and the share in manufacturing fell by 1.6 percentage points, while the share in services rose by 3.2 percentage points.
Among the 79,300 unemployed citizens, the largest share, 32.9 percent, cited an inability to find work. Another 12.2 percent are studying, 9.9 percent are seasonally employed and currently between jobs, 7.7 percent lack professional experience, and 6.1 percent are pregnant or caring for a child.
Among the 50,100 people classified as potential labor force, 42.2 percent are retired, 15.7 percent are pregnant or caring for a child, 6.3 percent graduated from school that year and are continuing their studies, 5.2 percent are unable to find work, 5.1 percent are caring for others, and 4.9 percent are not actively participating in the labor market due to a lack of professional experience.
