The figures, covering May 2025, show that Rwanda's working-age population, defined as those aged 16 and above, stood at 8.5 million. Of these, about 4.5 million were employed, while 710,000 were unemployed. The remaining 3,218,556 people fall outside the labour force altogether.
People are classified as outside the labour force if they are in prison, still in school, retired, living with a disability that prevents them from working, or not looking for work because they believe no suitable jobs are available or they lack the necessary skills.
The share of Rwandans in this category increased to 37.8% in May 2025, up from 37.5% the previous year.
Who's outside the labour force
NISR data shows that nearly half of those outside the labour force, about 1,483,754 people or 46.1%, are subsistence farmers producing mainly for household consumption, which is not counted as formal employment.
Another 843,261 people, or 26.2%, are students who do not engage in any form of paid work. A further 888,321 people, representing 27.6%, are retirees, individuals with disabilities, those who are ill, and people who have stopped searching for work due to discouragement.
Women account for 44.7% of the population outside the labour force. Young people aged 16â€"30 represent 41.9%, while older adults above 55 years make up the largest proportion at 60.8%.
Educational attainment among this group is generally low. About 37.4% have no schooling or have only incomplete primary education, while 38.7% have completed primary school. Another 26.8% have completed upper secondary school, and just 10% hold a university degree.
Despite the large number of people outside the labour force, overall employment has grown. By May 2025, 53.8% of the total population was employed, up 1.8 percentage points from the same period in 2024.
Employment among men reached 61.7%, compared to 46.8% for women. Both genders saw gains of 1.3 points for men and 2.2 points for women.
The highest employment rate was recorded among those aged 31 and above (57.4%), compared to 49.1% for the 16â€"30 age group.
Sector shifts
The services sector continues to dominate the job market, employing 45.6% of all workers, up from 44% in May 2024. Agriculture's share fell to 38%, from 39.3% a year earlier, while industrial employment dipped slightly by 0.3 points.
Agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing together account for 38% of all jobs. Wholesale and retail trade, including mechanics, makes up 15.6% of employment. Construction employs 8.3%, transport 6.7%, and manufacturing 5.7%. Education accounts for 4.2% of jobs, domestic work for 4.1%, and accommodation and restaurant services for 4%.
IGIHE
