Rwanda’s Jobs Pulse 2025 (Q3): What the Latest Labour Force Survey Really Means for You
The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) recently released the results of the Labour Force Survey for August 2025 (Q3) — and behind all the numbers lies an important story about how Rwandans are working, job hunting, and living in today’s economy.
Let’s break it down, in simple terms.
Rwanda’s Working-Age Population: 8.6 Million and Counting
Out of 8.6 million Rwandans aged 16 and above:
- 4.9 million people have jobs
- 754,000 are looking for work but can’t find one
- 2.9 million are not working at all — for reasons like studying, caregiving, or retirement.
That means 5.6 million Rwandans are part of the labour force — they’re either working or actively searching for a job.
To picture it:
Imagine a bus carrying 10 adults. About 6 or 7 of them are working or job-hunting, while the remaining 3 are not in the labour market at all.
Labour Force Participation: More Rwandans Joining the Workforce
The labour force participation rate — the share of adults who are either employed or looking for work — rose to 65.8% in 2025, up from 64.1% last year.
That may seem small, but it means tens of thousands more Rwandans have joined the active job market — either by finding work or starting to search for one.
👉 Example: More young people finishing school or women returning to work after family care might explain the increase.
However, participation still differs by gender:
- Men: much more likely to be in the labour market
- Women: still behind, but catching up.
- The gap between men and women shrank to 16.2 percentage points, meaning more women are joining or returning to work.
Employment: More People Working — Especially Women
Good news — more Rwandans are working now than last year.
The employment-to-population ratio climbed to 57%, up from 54.3% in 2024.
This means over half of all adults in Rwanda are currently employed.
The rise was stronger among women:
- Women’s employment increased by 3.6 percentage points
- Men’s by 1.8 points
That’s an encouraging sign that efforts to create jobs for women are paying off.
Still, men are more likely to be employed (66.1%) compared to women (49%).
The gender gap is shrinking, but it’s still there.
Real-world example: Think of Nyirabukara in Musanze — last year she stayed home caring for her children. This year, she’s selling vegetables at the local market. That shift from home to the workplace is part of the data story.
Where Are Rwandans Working?
Employment remains concentrated in three main areas:
- Agriculture: still the backbone for most rural families
- Services: includes shops, restaurants, and public administration
- Industry: growing, especially in construction and manufacturing
These sectors together shape how people earn a living — from farming potatoes in Burera to building roads in Kigali or running a small moto taxi business in Huye.
Adults (31 years and above) have slightly higher employment rates (57.3%) compared to youth (16–30 years, 56.6%), showing experience still plays a big role in getting and keeping a job.
Unemployment: Fewer Job Seekers Left Without Work
The unemployment rate dropped to 13.4% — meaning roughly 1 in every 7 people looking for a job still can’t find one.
That’s an improvement from 15.3% last year, and even better than the 16% before COVID-19.
But not everyone feels the improvement equally:
- Women: 15.9% unemployment
- Men: 11.2%
- Youth: 15.5% — still struggling more than adults (11.7%)
- Rural areas: 14.2% unemployment
- Urban areas: 11.8%
👉 Example: A young graduate in Rwamagana may still be job-hunting for months, while a carpenter in Nyamirambo easily finds short contracts. Opportunities are uneven.
The gender gap in unemployment — women being more likely to be jobless — is narrowing, but not gone yet.
Labour Underutilization: The Hidden Side of Job Struggles
The labour underutilization rate (a measure of people who are jobless, working too few hours, or in jobs below their skill level) stood at a high 56.7%.
In simpler words:
More than half of Rwanda’s potential workforce is not being fully used.
It’s even higher for:
- Women: 64.7%
- Men: 48.3%
- Youth: 57.8%
This means many Rwandans have some work, but not enough work — like a teacher working part-time, or a mason getting only two days of work a week.
Still, underutilization slightly improved by 1.3 points compared to last year — a positive but modest shift.
What Does It All Mean?
Rwanda’s job market in 2025 shows real progress — more people are joining the workforce, more are employed, and fewer are unemployed.
But the big challenge remains quality and stability of jobs, especially for women and youth.
The story behind the numbers is clear:
- People want to work, and more are trying to.
- But many still face barriers — like limited skills, small local markets, or seasonal work.
- Continued focus on skills training, women empowerment, and youth entrepreneurship will be key to making these positive trends sustainable.
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