The Decline in Employment of Young Men in Arab Society and its Characteristics
Marian Tehawkho, Tali Larom and Kiril Moskalev
In recent years there has been a significant decline in the employment rates of Arab men, particularly at younger ages. This trend was exacerbated during the COVID-19 crisis, along with a dramatic rise in the numbers of idle individuals (who neither work nor study) among this group. This study examines the decline in employment which had occurred prior to the crisis, in the years 2014-2019, focusing on young men aged 18 to 24, and explores the main characteristics of idle individuals. The study segments the employed and unemployed population, characterizing employment and idleness across time and according to categories of age, educational attainment level, geographic region, religion, and economic sector. Our analysis is based on data from detailed workforce surveys conducted by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), which can only be accessed in the Research Rooms of the CBS.
Our key findings:
- A decline in the employment of young Arab men as well as non-Haredi Jews; a very sharp drop among Arabs, compared to a more moderate decrease among Jews.
- This decline had been accelarated during the two years prior to the crisis, 2018-2019.
- In the Jewish society, the decrease in employment coincides with an increase in the rate of higher edcuation students.
- In Arab society, the decrease in employment coincides mainly with an increase in the rate of idle individuals, who neither work nor study.
- Idleness is a chronic, growing phenomenon – a high and rising number of idle individuals who have not worked during the past year.
- A rise in the number of idle individuals who do not seek work and have no interest in working.
- An increase in matriculation eligibility rate which is not reflected in further studies or employment; an increase in the propotion of high-school graduates with matriculation
eligibility among the idle population.
- The decrease in the employment of young men is across all economic sectors.
- Decreasing employment rates in all regions.
- A decrease in employment among Muslim and Christian; an increase among Druze.