Minister of Labor Reports 7 Million Iranians Working in Informal Jobs

According to Iran's Minister of Labor, among the 22 million employed individuals in the country, only 15 million are insured, while 7 million are engaged in informal jobs. In a conference on Sunday, June 7, Ali Rabiei, the Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, stated that 800,000 to 900,000 new jobs are needed annually to reduce the unemployment rate to single digits, adding that "last year we managed to prevent the loss of 240,000 jobs." Rabiei also emphasized the need for a change in the workforce's mindset, announcing that "last year, 300,000 jobs were identified and introduced through employment centers, of which 100,000 individuals expressed their unwillingness to stay in those jobs." Previously, the Minister had pointed out that unemployment has become one of the "most challenging internal issues" in the country, warning that "if we do not take action, the number of unemployed will reach ten million by the year 1400 (2021)." Currently, there are six million unemployed individuals in Iran, with an additional seven million expected to join them. Furthermore, Hassan Taee, the Deputy Minister of Labor, reported in early December 2014 that Iran needs to create 800,000 to 900,000 new jobs annually, which requires a production growth rate of 7%. Among age groups, the unemployment rate for young people aged 20 to 26 is about 26.5%. In this context, Ali Taebnia, the Minister of Economy, had previously warned about the impending influx of 4.5 million university graduates into the job market. The precarious unemployment situation in Iran contrasts sharply with former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's promises made on July 13, 2006, to eradicate unemployment within two to three years. These promises persisted for several years, and he even announced in April 2012 that "we will celebrate the eradication of unemployment." However, the general unemployment rate, according to official statistics from the Statistical Center of Iran, increased from 11.5% in 2005 to 12.2% by the end of 2012. Reports indicate that while the job market has yet to resolve the unemployment issue for those born in the 1980s, individuals born in the 1990s are now entering the job market, with some of them being job seekers. Additionally, the Deputy Minister of Interior reported a 40% unemployment rate in 11 cities across Iran.