Highlights
1. The labour force for year 2019 was estimated at 591,000 (354,700 males and 236,300 females) and employment at 551,300 (339,100 males and 212,200 females).
2. The estimated number of unemployed for 2019 was 39,700 (15,600 males and 24,100 females). The unemployment rate worked out to 6.7% (4.4% for male and 10.2% for female).
3. Those outside the labour force (economically inactive) numbered 405,600 of whom 2,400 are in potential labour force (those who were not looking but were available for work or those who were looking but were not available for work).
4. In 2019, labour underutilization worked out to be 158,000, comprising:
· Unemployed (39,700).
· Potential labour force (2,400), i.e. persons not in employment and who were not actively looking but were available for work or those who were actively looking but were not available for work.
· Skills-related underemployed (43,700), i.e. those who were in employment and having tertiary qualifications and were engaged in occupations such as clerical support workers, service and sales workers, skilled agricultural workers, plant and machine operators and elementary occupations.
· Time-related underemployed (72,200), i.e. those who were in employment and were available for extra work.
5. Change from 2018 to 2019
a. The Mauritian labour force increased by 7,200 while those outside labour force decreased by 1,500.
b. Employment went up by 7,600 and unemployment went down by 400.
c. The overall activity rate increased from 58.9% to 59.3% and the unemployment rate declined from 6.9% to 6.7%.
Youth
d. Both youth employment and unemployment decreased by 800 and 2,600 respectively.
e. Youth unemployment rate therefore decreased by 2.3 percentage points from 25.1% to 22.8%.
