Islamabad: Pakistan’s unemployment rate has increased to 7.1%, up from 6.3% in 2020-21, according to the National Labour Force Survey (NLFS) 2024-25 released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS). The survey indicates that approximately 8 million people are currently unemployed in the country.
The survey also revealed that Pakistan’s working-age population participation stands at 43%, while 53.8% of the population remains economically inactive. According to the 2023 census, the country’s population is 241.49 million, with the labour force exceeding 77.2 million.
Employment by Sector
- Services Sector: Leading employment provider with 31.83 million employed, and an employment rate of 41.7%.
- Agriculture Sector: Employs 25.53 million people, with a participation rate of 33.1%.
- Industrial Sector: Employs 19.86 million people, representing 25.7% of the labour force.
Wages
The survey highlighted that the average monthly wage in Pakistan is PKR 39,042, an increase of PKR 15,014 compared to PKR 24,028 in 2020-21. Men earn an average of PKR 39,302, while women earn PKR 37,347 per month.
Survey Methodology & Next Steps
Dr. Naeem Uz Zafar, Chief Statistician, stated that 196 enumerators and 34 field formations participated in the survey. Data collection was conducted online, and results for the livestock survey have already been released. Following the Labour Force Survey, the Household Income Survey is scheduled to be released next month. He also noted that the IMF’s three conditions are expected to be fulfilled by December 2025.
