The National Statistics Bureau’s second quarter Labour Force Survey Report for 2024 shows that the youth unemployment rate has decreased to 19.2 per cent from 22.9 per cent in the first quarter. The youth unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons in the age group 15-24 years. Consequently, the overall unemployment rate has also dropped to 3.7 per cent from 4.1 per cent in the first quarter.
The survey reveals that more female youth were unemployed compared to males between April and June this year. During this period, the female youth unemployment rate stood at 19.6 per cent, while for males, it was 18.9 per cent.
The report also shows that youth unemployment is higher in urban areas than in rural areas. The rate is 21.7 per cent in urban centres as compared to 16.7 per cent in rural Bhutan.
Key findings from the survey indicate that of the total working-age population, only 61.8 per cent are economically active.
In rural areas, 65 per cent of the working-age population is economically active, compared to 56.7 per cent in urban areas.
Additionally, 72.5 per cent of working-age males are economically active, compared to 50 per cent of females in the second quarter.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishery with 40.5 per cent still dominate the distribution of employed persons, employing 143,951 individuals.
District-wise, Zhemgang has the highest employment rate in the country at 99.9 per cent, while Gelephu Thromde has the lowest at 91.3 per cent.
The survey included a sample size of 2,940 households from across the country.
The National Statistics Bureau conducted the second quarterly labour force survey in May.
Deki Lhazom & Dechen Choden
Edited by Kipchu
