Mauritius's labour market posted a modest improvement in Q1 2026, with 6,100 net jobs created year-on-year and the unemployment rate easing to 5.7%. But behind these broadly positive headline figures, gender and generational disparities remain sharply pronounced.
Positive annual trend, weaker sequential reading
According to Statistics Mauritius, Q1 2026 recorded 6,100 additional jobs compared to Q1 2025. The unemployment rate fell to 5.7% from 6.0% a year earlier. The active population now stands at 587,000 individuals.
The numbers reflect a recovery driven largely by the services sector, which accounts for 77.1% of total employment, followed by the secondary sector at 18.2% and the primary sector at 4.7%.
However, the quarterly reading tempers optimism: employment fell by 7,200 positions compared to Q4 2025. This sequential contraction — likely seasonal — warrants close monitoring in coming quarters.
Women and youth: the blind spot of the recovery
Disparities remain stark. Women's unemployment stands at 7.5%, nearly double the male rate of 4.3%. Among youth aged 16-24, the situation is more alarming: unemployment reaches 19.1%, rising to 22.2% for young women specifically.
Of the 33,300 unemployed persons counted, 57% are women; 52% lack the School Certificate, Mauritius's first official qualification; and 82% have been job-seeking for under one year.
A structurally low female participation rate
The female labour force participation rate remains at 49.3% — far below the male rate of 70%. This gap of over 20 percentage points reflects structural barriers: access to childcare, geographic mobility and social norms that go beyond labour market mechanics alone.
Why it matters
The divergence between male and female employment trajectories raises structural questions about training access, childcare provision and professional opportunities in Mauritius. In a highly tertiarised economy — where services account for over three-quarters of jobs — integrating women and youth into the workforce is a necessary condition for durable, inclusive growth.