Breaking Update

Israel Sees Slight Drop in Total Employment Rate

Israel's March 2026 labor force survey reveals a slight dip in the employment rate to 60.2%, alongside an increase in individuals temporarily absent from work.

Economy

Jerusalem, 4 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics released the data from the labor force Survey for March 2026.

Seasonally adjusted data for March 2026 (compared to February 2026, among those aged 15 and over):

Percentage of the labor force – 62% (62.4% in February).

Employment rate (percentage of employed people out of the total population) – 60.2% (60.8% in February).

Percentage of unemployed in the labor force – 2.8% (2.7% in February).

Original data for March 2026 (compared to February 2026, among those aged 15 and over):

Percentage of the labor force – 61.7% (62.3% in February).

Employment rate (percentage of employed people out of the total population) – 60.1% (60.7% in February).

Percentage of unemployed in the labor force – 2.5% (2.6% in February).

Employment rate excluding those temporarily absent from work all week for economic reasons – 51.9% (57.9% in February).

Percentage of those temporarily absent from work all week by selected reasons: economic reasons – 69.5% (55.5% in the previous month), reserve – 8.4% (7% in February), other – 0.7% (0.5% in February).

Percentage of men temporarily absent from work all week by selected reasons: economic reasons – 64.6% (56% in February), military reserve duty – 17.8% (13.9% in February), other – 0.7% (0.6% in February).

Percentage of women temporarily absent from work all week by selected reasons: economic reasons – 72.9% (55% in February), military reserve duty – 1.9% (1.5% in February), other – 0.7% (0.5% in February).

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Monday, 4 May 2026 Updated continuously