Egypt’s Ministry of Labour facilitates 7M employment opportunities over Decade

CAIRO - 3 October 2023: Egypt's Ministry of Labour has successfully provided employment for 7,267,140 citizens over the past decade, according to a report and infographic titled "Ministry of Labour / Vision and Achievement" presented by Minister of Labour, Hassan Shafata, on Tuesday.

Shafata delved into the multifaceted services provided by the Ministry to citizens, achieving its goals from 2014 to 2023. The Ministry’s mission emphasizes strategic human resource planning, workforce care and its regulation both domestically and internationally, improving its productive efficiency, and achieving comprehensive productive employment. This is seen as both a means and an end to economic and social development plans and also serves to enhance labor relations between workers and employers among other objectives.

The Ministry stated that its primary focus involves elevating employment levels. The unemployment rate has remarkably decreased from 13.3% in 2014 to 7% in 2023, thanks to the concerted efforts of the Ministry and its partnering national departments and agencies. The decline in unemployment rates is significantly attributed to national projects initiated by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, such as the New Administrative Capital, the Suez Canal Axis, Al Alamein City, and various industrial facilities.

Additionally, focusing on targeting and developing skills according to labor market needs, establishing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and increasing youth employment rates have also been crucial.

The Ministry has successfully generated over seven million job opportunities, both domestically and internationally, which includes employing 3,418,970 workers nationally and 3,848,140 workers internationally.

Among the Ministry's employment tools are the periodic national bulletin, launched in coordination with the private sector, employment offices and employment forums in provinces, and Egyptian labor attachment companies overseen and licensed by the Ministry to practice the activity.

In this context, the Ministry indicated that labor representation offices ("9 offices") abroad also play a role in providing job opportunities and protecting and caring for approximately 5 million Egyptian citizens within the scope of these offices. They have managed to reclaim disputed dues for Egyptian labor, exceeding 1.936 billion Egyptian pounds.

Over the last decade, from 2014 to 2023, Egypt's Ministry of Labor has pioneered significant strides in employment and labor management, crafting and curating opportunities for 7,267,140 citizens, both domestically and internationally, by cultivating robust strategies that align with its vision and objectives.

Minister Hassan Shohata detailed in a report titled "Ministry of Labor / Vision..and Achievement," that the Ministry’s mission over the past decade has been centered on strategic human resources planning, workforce nurturing and organizing its utilization domestically and abroad, enhancing its productive efficiency, and achieving full productive employment as a means and end to economic and social development plans.

Additionally, the Ministry aimed to foster labor relations between workers and employers, among other goals.

Notably, the Ministry marked a decline in unemployment rates from 13.3% in 2014 to 7% in 2023, attributing this shift to the Ministry's endeavors, associated national ministries, and entities. Crucial to reducing unemployment rates were national projects launched by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, such as the New Administrative Capital, the Suez Canal Axis, Al Alamein City, and other industrial installations.

Also significant were initiatives focusing on skill targeting and development according to labor market needs, establishing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and increasing youth employment rates.

The Ministry successfully provided over seven million employment opportunities both locally and internationally, deploying 3,418,970 workers domestically and 3,848,140 abroad. Various tools were utilized to facilitate employment, such as the periodic national bulletin launched in coordination with the private sector, employment offices and job fairs in the governorates, and companies affiliating Egyptian labor overseen and licensed by the Ministry.

In a persistent endeavor to support Egyptians working abroad, "9 labor representation offices" were established, providing employment opportunities, protection, and care for nearly 5 million Egyptian citizens within their scope. These offices have managed to recover disputed dues for Egyptian labor exceeding EGP 1.936 billion.

In a continual effort, the Ministry implemented a unit dedicated to offering services to Egyptian labor nominated for overseas employment. This unit facilitates travel procedures, document review, and contract accreditation, which were previously marked by procedural difficulties and congestion at the Ministry’s doors. Furthermore, the unit provides its services electronically to labor nominated for travel.

In collaboration with the International Organization for Migration, the Ministry established a central unit to guide labor nominated for overseas employment before departure, familiarizing them with labor laws in host countries, their rights and obligations, country culture, and mechanisms for communicating with labor representation offices, consulates, and Egyptian embassies abroad.

Addressing the development of employment offices and updating their operating mechanisms within the governorates, the report clarified that 130 employment offices were developed and electronically linked to their respective directorates and the Ministry, out of a total of 300 offices spread across Egypt's governorates. Training of employment officials in the Ministry and directorates on new mechanisms for providing employment opportunities was also accomplished, guiding youth and advising them on acquiring jobs that match their abilities and skills.

A total of 251 companies were licensed to practice the activity of affiliating Egyptian labor for work abroad, while the license of 1231 other companies was renewed, and 112 labor affiliation companies had their licenses canceled due to legal violations, bringing the total number of licensed companies to 1482.