Employment: Cities are progressing, rural areas are falling behind

Riven by services, major construction projects, and domestic demand, the economy is estimated to have grown by 4.6% in the second quarter of 2025. However, this growth is only partially reflected in the job market. Barely 5,000 net jobs were created between April and June, compared with 82,000 job losses a year earlier.

Behind this sluggish recovery, disparities in the labor market continue: persistent exclusion of young people, widening gender inequalities, and rural precariousness… all signs that remind us that the labor market is evolving without undergoing any real transformation.

Job creation is concentrated in cities, with a gain of 113,000 jobs over one year. At the same time, rural areas continue to suffer heavy losses, with 107,000 jobs lost, mainly in the agricultural sector. This sector alone lost 108,000 jobs, or 4% of total employment, in a context marked by a new agricultural season affected by drought.

Building and public works are the main driver, with 74,000 additional jobs, including 45,000 in urban areas and 29,000 in rural areas. Services are also growing (+35,000), but only in urban areas (+61,000).
In rural areas, however, this sector lost 26,000 jobs.

Industry recorded, with 74,000 additional jobs, including 45,000 in urban areas and 29,000 in rural areas. Services are also growing (+35,000), but only in urban areas (+61,000). In rural areas, however, this sector lost 26,000 jobs. The industry posted a net gain of 2,000 jobs thanks to the creation of 10,000 jobs in urban areas and a loss of 8,000 in rural areas.

This second quarter marks a shift toward paid employment: more than 132,000 jobs were created, most of them in cities. At the same time, unpaid employment fell by 126,000 jobs, 115,000 of which were in rural areas. This trend does not guarantee an improvement in working conditions.

Analysis by gender reveals a worrying gap. The male employment rate rose slightly to 61.2% (+0.2 points), while the female employment rate fell by 1.3 points to 15.2%. Their unemployment rate jumped by 2.2 points to 19.9%, peaking at 26.1% in cities.

This employment map reveals a sectoral shake-up

This trend confirms the persistent exclusion of women despite the level of growth (4.6% in the second quarter). Among young people (aged 15–24), the activity rate fell to 21.5%, with unemployment remaining at 35.8%. Even 25–34-year-olds are not spared, with their unemployment rate rising by 0.5 points to 21.9%. These indicators reflect the persistent difficulties in converting growth into concrete opportunities.

Khadija MASMOUDI