Based on the Lebanon follow-up Labour Force Survey January 2022
A comprehensive analysis of Lebanon's labour market following major economic and social events, providing up-to-date statistics on employment, unemployment, and labour force participation across different demographics and regions.
The survey reveals significant deterioration in key labour market indicators between 2018-2019 and 2022. The labour force participation rate declined by more than five percentage points, while the unemployment rate increased dramatically from 11.4% to 29.6%, indicating that almost one-third of the labour force was unemployed in January 2022.
Gender Disparities in Labour Market
The survey findings highlight persistent gender disparities in Lebanon's labour market, with significant differences in participation rates, employment ratios, and unemployment levels between men and women.
Key Gender Indicators (2022)
Male labour force participation rate: 66.2%
Female labour force participation rate: 22.2%
Male employment-to-population ratio: 47.4%
Female employment-to-population ratio: 15.0%
Male unemployment rate: 28.4%
Female unemployment rate: 32.7%
Youth Employment Challenges
High Youth Unemployment
47.8% unemployment rate among youth (15-24 years)
Severe Labour Underutilization
64.2% composite measure for youth
Rising NEET Rates
29.1% of youth not in education, employment or training
The survey reveals alarming challenges facing Lebanese youth in the labour market. The youth unemployment rate (47.8%) is almost twice the adult rate (25.6%), while the composite measure of labour underutilization for youth reached 64.2% in 2022, compared to 29.4% in 2018-2019.
Regional Labour Market Variations
Labour Force Participation
The greatest decrease in labour force participation was observed in Beirut governorate, falling by about 10 percentage points from 52.5% in 2018-2019 to 43% in 2022.
Unemployment Rates
The largest increase in unemployment was in Baalbek-Hermel, rising by 30 percentage points from 11% in 2018-2019 to 40.7% in 2022, followed by South Lebanon with a 24 percentage point increase.
Stable Region
Baalbek-Hermel was the only governorate where labour force participation remained relatively stable (43.3% in 2018-2019 and 43.9% in 2022).
Impact of Major Events on Employment
October 2019 Revolution
The economic crisis triggered protests that led to significant job losses and a sharp decline in labour force participation.
COVID-19 Lockdown (March 2020)
The total lockdown further increased unemployment rates and reduced working hours across sectors.
Port of Beirut Blast (August 2020)
The explosion caused additional economic damage, though its specific impact on labour force participation appears less pronounced than the previous events.
The survey incorporated specific questions to measure the impact of these major events. Analysis shows that the economic crisis manifested by the October 2019 protests had the greatest impact on the labour market, with unemployment rising sharply and labour force participation declining significantly.
Changes in Employment Composition
Economic Activity
The basic structure of employment remained largely unchanged between 2018-2019 and 2022. Wholesale and retail trade continued to have the highest share (19-20%), followed by public administration and defence (10-12%) and manufacturing (10-12%).
Notable shifts included a more than 5% drop in domestic workers employed by households (from 7.8% to 2.5%) and a 2.1 percentage point increase in public administration and defence employment.
The relative stability in the distribution of employment across economic sectors masks significant changes in total employment levels, with substantial job losses occurring across most sectors.
Occupational Changes
Male Employment Shifts
Decrease in "Managers" from 7.8% to 2.5%
Decrease in "Professionals" from 9.6% to 6.7%
Increase in "Technicians and Associate Professionals" from 4.2% to 7.5%
Increase in "Elementary Occupations" from 9.8% to 13.3%
Female Employment Shifts
Drastic decrease in "Elementary Occupations" from 27.4% to 13.6%
Decrease in "Managers" from 4.8% to 1.7%
Increases across most other occupational categories
Status in Employment
Increase in employees from 70.9% to 74.5%
Decrease in employers from 9.0% to 6.3%
Slight decrease in own-account workers from 19.2% to 17.9%
Increase in contributing family workers from 0.8% to 1.4%
Sector of Employment Changes
Public Sector
Increased from 12.4% in 2018-2019 to 16.1% in 2022
Private Sector
Decreased from 86.3% in 2018-2019 to 81% in 2022
Households
Decreased significantly as employers
Non-profit & International
Minor changes in employment share
The basic structure of employment by sector remained essentially unchanged, with more than 90% of the employed population engaged at main job in either the public or private sector. However, the public sector's share of total employment grew, while the private sector's share declined.
Informal Employment Trends
62.4%
Informal Employment
Up from 54.9% in 2018-2019
48.3%
Employment in Informal Sector
Up from 35.2% in 2018-2019
60.3%
Non-agricultural Informal Employment
Up from 53.7% in 2018-2019
The survey findings show a significant increase in informal employment and employment in the informal sector between 2018-2019 and 2022, indicating a regression in relation to Sustainable Development Goal 8.3.1 (proportion of informal employment in non-agricultural employment).
Qualification Mismatch
Increasing Mismatch
For more than half (56.6%) of the employed population in 2022, their level of education did not correspond to the level required to perform their job, up from 50% in 2018-2019.
Interestingly, over-education has actually fallen, from 24% in 2018-2019 to 18.3% in 2022, while under-education has considerably increased, from 26% in 2018-2019 to 38.3% in 2022.
This suggests that relatively more over-educated persons lost employment during the intervening period than under-educated persons. Similar patterns of increasing qualification mismatch were observed for males, females, and youth.
Multiple Jobholding Decline
2018-2019
3.5% of employed population held multiple jobs
Decline
Almost 2 percentage point decrease
2022
Only 1.7% of employed population held multiple jobs
The survey findings show a significant decrease in multiple jobholding between 2018-2019 and 2022. This decline may be interpreted as a consequence of the overall reduction in employment during this period and the scarcity of main jobs in general, let alone multiple jobs.
Working Hours Reduction
Average Hours Usually Worked
Decreased from 48.5 to 44.4 hours per week
Average Hours Actually Worked
Decreased from 46.6 to 41.0 hours per week
Long Hours (60+ per week)
Decreased from 29% to 18.7% of workers
Short Hours (under 30 per week)
Increased from 11% to 16.8% of workers
Gender Differences in Working Hours
Male Working Hours (2022)
Average hours usually worked: 46.8 per week
Average hours actually worked: 42.6 per week
Short hours (under 30): 13.9% of male workers
Long hours (60+): 22.5% of male workers
Female Working Hours (2022)
Average hours usually worked: 37.1 per week
Average hours actually worked: 35.7 per week
Short hours (under 30): 25.5% of female workers
Long hours (60+): 7.6% of female workers
Working Hours by Economic Activity
The average hours usually worked per week at main job has uniformly decreased or remained unchanged in all branches of economic activity with the exception of international organizations and bodies. The largest decreases were observed in construction and public administration and defence.
Temporary Absence from Work
Prevalence
8.5% of employed population temporarily absent during reference week
Gender Difference
Higher among women (14.3%) than men (6.8%)
Main Reason
"Holidays, vacation" (27.4% of absences)
Labor Disputes
"Strike or lockout or labour dispute" (10.9% of absences)
The survey collected data on temporary absence from work, which refers to employed persons who were "not at work" for a short period but maintained a job attachment during their absence. COVID-19 accounted for 4.9% of total temporary absences from work.
Income from Employment
Average Monthly Earnings
About 2,284,100 Lebanese pounds (LBP) in 2022, compared to 1,179,900 LBP in 2018-2019
Economic Context
Consumer prices increased more than fivefold during the period between the two surveys, with the Lebanese pound falling more than tenfold against the US dollar
Purchasing Power
Despite nominal increases in earnings, the purchasing power of employees declined substantially
Earnings by Educational Attainment
In both survey periods, average monthly earnings increased with the level of educational attainment. Employees with university education and above had the highest earnings and also experienced the steepest increase in monthly earnings during the period (about 240%). By contrast, employees with secondary education had the lowest increase in average monthly earnings (about 180%).
Gender Pay Gap
Overall Gender Pay Gap
The survey results show that the average monthly earnings of male employees at main job was about 2,205,600 LBP and that of female employees about 2,492,000 LBP in 2022.
This indicates a negative gender pay gap of -13%, meaning women earned, on average, more than their male counterparts. Similar results were obtained in 2018-2019, with a negative gender pay gap of -3.6%.
This counterintuitive finding is explained by the fact that non-Lebanese workers earned substantially less than Lebanese (almost half), and the majority of non-Lebanese employees were men. When disaggregated by citizenship, Lebanese men earned 7.2% less than Lebanese women in 2022, compared to earning 6.5% more in 2018-2019.
Gender Pay Gap by Occupation
1
Elementary Occupations
Highest gender pay gap in 2022: male Lebanese employees earned 25.8% more than females
2
Professionals
Second highest gap: male Lebanese employees earned 25.4% more than females
3
Managers
Negative gender pay gap: male Lebanese managers earned 11.3% less than females in 2022
4
Plant and Machine Operators
Highest gap in 2018-2019: male Lebanese employees earned 30.3% more than females
Low-Pay Workers
Definition and Threshold
"Employees with low pay rate" is defined as the percentage of employees whose monthly earnings at main job equal less than two-thirds of the median monthly earnings of all employees. In 2022, the threshold was 1,066,700 LBP.
Gender Differences
Among female employees, the proportion with low pay increased significantly from 18.5% in 2018-2019 to 27.0% in 2022. Among male employees, the proportion with low pay actually fell from 23.2% to 21.5%.
Regional Variations
The proportion of employees with low pay was lower than the national average in Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The highest increase was in Akkar, from 26% in 2018-2019 to 37.4% in 2022.
Duration of Unemployment
Long-term Unemployment
In 2022, 29.6% of the unemployed had been seeking employment for two years or more, and another 19.2% for one to two years, totaling 48.8% in long-term unemployment.
Changing Pattern
Long-term unemployment actually declined from 56.5% in 2018-2019, possibly because some long-term unemployed became discouraged and stopped looking for work.
Discouraged Jobseekers
These individuals are counted in the category of discouraged jobseekers among the potential labour force rather than among the unemployed.
Methods of Seeking Employment
Relatives and Friends
Principal method but decreased from 65.7% in 2018-2019 to 35.7% in 2022
Direct Applications
Significant increase in direct applications to employers
Work Sites
Increased checking at work sites, farms, and construction sites
Job Advertisements
Increased placing and answering of job advertisements
The survey findings indicate a considerable shift from informal methods of seeking employment, such as seeking help from relatives and friends, to more formal methods. This change in job-seeking behavior may reflect adaptation to the tighter labour market conditions.
Women in Managerial Positions
The "female share in managerial positions" is an indicator of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5.5.2). It is defined as the proportion of females in the total number of persons employed in managerial positions.
Survey Findings
According to the survey results, the overall share of women in managerial positions was about 26.7% in 2022, a drop of about 2 percentage points from the findings of the LFHLCS 2018-2019, when the share of women in managerial positions was 28.9%.
By symmetry, the share of men in managerial positions increased by 2 percentage points, from 71.1% in 2018-2019 to 73.3% in 2022.
Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
29.1%
Overall NEET Rate
Up from 22% in 2018-2019
32.1%
Female Youth NEET Rate
Up from 26.8% in 2018-2019
26.1%
Male Youth NEET Rate
Up from 16.7% in 2018-2019
Youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) is an indicator of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 8.6.1). The survey findings show significant increases in NEET rates for both male and female youth between 2018-2019 and 2022.
Regional Variations in Youth NEET Rates
The 2022 findings show that the female NEET rate was higher than the corresponding male rate in all governorates, except Beirut and Bekaa. The highest female NEET rate was recorded in Akkar (48.6%), followed by North Lebanon (37.7%), while the highest male NEET rate was recorded in Beirut (35.2%), followed by Bekaa (32.5%).
International Migrant Workers
Definition and Coverage
For statistical purposes, the survey covered international migrant workers defined as non-Lebanese citizens who were in employment or seeking employment during the survey reference week.
The survey findings show that the labour force participation rate of non-Lebanese was greater than that of Lebanese in both time periods, consistent with global patterns of international migrant workers.
The decline in the labour force participation rate of non-Lebanese, from 60.8% in 2018-2019 to 47.7% in 2022, was significantly higher than the decline for Lebanese. This can be attributed to the temporary nature of most international labour migration in Lebanon.
Labour Force Indicators by Citizenship
An interesting finding is that while the unemployment rate of non-Lebanese workers (8.7%) was lower than that of Lebanese workers (12.1%) in 2018-2019, this relationship reversed in 2022, when the unemployment rate of non-Lebanese workers (36.5%) exceeded that of Lebanese workers (28.1%).
Labour Force Participation by Age and Citizenship
Male Participation
The male labour force participation rate of non-Lebanese is generally higher than or almost equal to that of Lebanese at young and core age groups, and again at older age groups, with the exception of the middle age category (40-59 years old).
Female Participation
The female labour force participation rate of non-Lebanese is lower than that of Lebanese at all age groups except the very young (15-19 years old).
Employment Equality
The employment-to-population ratio of Lebanese and non-Lebanese was almost equal in 2022: 30.6% for Lebanese and 30.2% for non-Lebanese.
Survey Methodology: Sample Design
Base Survey (2018-2019)
The Labour Force and Household Living Conditions Survey 2018-2019 covered the population of Lebanon living in residential dwellings, using a stratified two-stage sampling scheme with about 2,700 geographical areas as primary sampling units and a fixed number of sample dwellings from each unit.
Follow-up Survey (2022)
The sample for the follow-up survey consisted of all households reporting a valid telephone number in the fourth quarter round of the LFHLCS 2018-2019, resulting in 9,459 potential households.
Effective Sample
The effective sample size was 5,444 households with a total of 22,046 household members, representing an average household size of 4.07 persons.
Telephone Success Rate
The rate of telephone success, that is, the ratio of completed interviews to the total number of sample telephone numbers, was 57.6%. Akkar was the governorate with the highest completion rate (65.7%), followed by Baalbek-Hermel (63.4%) and Bekaa (62.3%). The governorate with the lowest success rate was South Lebanon (54.2%).
Sampling Weights Calculation
Design Weights
Obtained as the inverse of the probabilities of selection of sample households
Non-Response Adjustment
Design weights adjusted to account for non-responses by inflating by the inverse of the response rate
Telephone Access Adjustment
Further adjustment to account for non-coverage of households without access to a landline or mobile telephone
Final Weights
The resulting adjusted weights were not calibrated to independent population totals as no reliable population projections were available
Sampling Errors
Definition
Sampling errors arise due to the fact that the survey does not cover all elements of the population, but only a selected portion. The sampling error of an estimate refers to the difference between the estimate and the value that would have been obtained from a complete count of the population.
Calculation Method
Sampling variances were calculated directly using estimates of the joint selection probabilities obtained on the basis of the method of Deville (1993) computed with the 'varest' function of the R-contributing package "sampling".
Standard Errors
The standard error of the total labour force participation rate was 0.5 percentage points, while the standard error of the unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points. The standard errors for male and female indicators were generally higher than for the combined population.
Questionnaire Design
Structure and Adaptation
The questionnaire of the follow-up labour force survey 2022 maintained the basic structure of the previous survey but was adapted for telephone interviewing. It also incorporated additional questions to measure the impact of major events in Lebanon during 2019-2021.
The questionnaire contained 12 modules with a total of 100 questions covering household characteristics, education, nationality, insurance, employment status, job characteristics, working time, job search, previous employment, income, and emigration.
Like the LFHLCS 2018-2019 questionnaire, the follow-up survey questionnaire was designed to measure employment and labour underutilization in line with the international standards of the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians.
Key Concepts and Definitions
Working age population
All persons, 15 years old and above, who were usual residents of the country, regardless of sex, country of origin, nationality, citizenship or geographic location of their place of work.
Labour force
The working age population who was either in employment or in unemployment during the survey reference week.
Employment
All persons of working age who, during the survey reference week, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit.
Unemployment
All persons of working age who were not in employment, who carried out activities to seek employment during the last four weeks and who were currently available to take up employment given a job opportunity.
Time-related underemployment
All persons in employment who, during the survey reference week, wanted to work additional hours, whose usual working time in all jobs was less than 40 hours per week, and who were available to work additional hours given an opportunity for more work.
More Key Concepts and Definitions
Potential labour force
All persons of working age who, during the survey reference week, were neither in employment nor in unemployment and: (a) carried out activities to "seek employment," were not "currently available" but would become available within a short subsequent period; or (b) did not carry out activities to "seek employment," but wanted employment and were "currently available".
Persons outside the labour force
All persons of working age who were neither in employment nor in unemployment during the survey reference week.
Labour force participation rate
[labour force / working age population] x 100
Employment-to-population ratio
[persons in employment / working age population] x 100
Unemployment rate (LU1)
[persons in unemployment / labour force] x 100
Labour Underutilization Measures
LU4: Composite measure
Includes all forms of labour underutilization
LU3: Unemployment + potential labour force
Measures broader unemployment
LU2: Unemployment + time-related underemployment
Includes those with insufficient hours
LU1: Unemployment rate
Basic measure of labour underutilization
The survey measures different components of labour underutilization, in line with the latest international standards adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians. The composite measure (LU4) provides the most comprehensive assessment of labour underutilization.
Working Time Concepts
Hours Actually Worked
Time spent in a job in the performance of activities that contribute to the production of goods and services during the survey reference week. They include:
Direct hours spent carrying out the tasks and duties of the job
Related hours spent maintaining, facilitating or enhancing productive activities
Downtime when the person cannot work due to machinery breakdown, but continues to be available for work
Resting time of short periods for rest, relief or refreshment
Hours Usually Worked
Typical value of hours actually worked in a job per week, measured over a long observation period of a month, quarter, season or year.
Hourly Earnings
Monthly earnings at main job / [hours usually worked at main job per week x 52/12], where monthly earnings refer to total cash remuneration, excluding employee contributions to compulsory schemes, but including direct wages and salaries, remuneration for time not worked, and cash bonuses.
Informality Concepts
Employment in the Informal Sector
All persons in employment who were engaged in household unincorporated enterprises that were not registered at the national level, or did not, in law or in practice, keep full bookkeeping of accounts.
Informal Employment
All employers and own-account workers operating an enterprise in the informal sector, all contributing family workers, and all employees with no social security contribution by the employer, irrespective of the formal or informal nature of the enterprise in which they work.
SDG Indicator 8.3.1
Proportion of informal employment in non-agricultural employment, a key indicator for measuring progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth.
Other Key Indicators
Gender Pay Gap
The difference between the average monthly earnings at main job of male and female employees as a percentage of average monthly earnings at main job of male employees (SDG indicator 8.5.1).
Low Pay Rate
The percentage of employees whose monthly earnings at main job equal less than two-thirds of the median monthly earnings of all employees, an indicator of income inequality and decent work.
Women in Managerial Positions
The proportion of females in the total number of persons employed in managerial positions (SDG indicator 5.5.2).
NEET Rate
The share of the youth population (15-24 years old) who are not in employment, education, or training in relation to the total youth population (SDG indicator 8.6.1).
Additional Information
CAS Website
Information on Central Administration of Statistics of the Lebanese Republic publications and digital products can be found at: http://www.cas.gov.lb
ILO Website
Information on ILO publications and digital products can be found at: www.ilo.org/publns
Detailed Tabulations
Detailed survey tabulations are available exclusively online at the website of the Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) (http://www.cas.gov.lb/)
Survey Methodology Overview
Sample Selection
The sample for the follow-up survey consisted of all the households that reported a valid telephone number, whether landline or mobile, in the fourth quarter round of the previous survey, the Labour Force and Housing Living Conditions Survey (LFHLCS), carried out by CAS between 2018 and 2019 with funding from the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon.
Data Collection
The data for the follow-up LFS were collected in January 2022. The effective sample size was 5,444 households, with a total of 22,046 household members (representing an average household size of about 4.07 persons) and including both Lebanese and non-Lebanese residents.
Population Coverage
The follow-up LFS covers the population of Lebanon living in regular dwellings, and excludes persons living in non-residential units such as construction and agriculture sites, shops, stores, factories, unfinished buildings, army barracks, refugee camps or adjacent settlements, and so on.
Questionnaire and Data Collection
Questionnaire Design
The follow-up survey questionnaire maintained the basic structure of the previous survey, but was adapted for telephone interviewing, and incorporated additional questions and specific answer categories to measure the impact of the main events that occurred in Lebanon during the period 2019-2021:
The October 2019 Revolution
The total lockdown in response to COVID-19 in mid-March 2020
The Port of Beirut blast in August 2020
Questionnaire Content
It included the following themes:
Demographic characteristics (description of household members, nationality, education, and access to health insurance)
Labour force status
Main job characteristics
Job search
Previous employment status
Household income
Intention to migrate
The data were collected by telephone, using computer-assisted questionnaires (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing – CAPI model).
Survey Objectives
1
Rapid Assessment
Provide a rapid and reliable assessment of the changes in the employment situation in Lebanon resulting from the recent financial and economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic
Quantify Impact
Quantify the impact of the crises and provide up-to-date nationally representative statistics on key labour market indicators
3
Current Data
Provide current data on the size and characteristics of the labour force, employment, unemployment and other labour market characteristics
Measure Underutilization
Measure different components of labour underutilization, including time-related underemployment and the potential labour force
Key Findings: Labour Force Participation
43.4%
Overall LFPR
Down from 48.8% in 2018-2019
66.2%
Male LFPR
Significantly higher than female rate
22.2%
Female LFPR
Showing persistent gender gap
The national labour force participation rate (LFPR) has declined by more than five percentage points between 2018-2019 and 2022. The rate decreased for both males and females across all age groups and in all governorates, with the possible exception of Baalbek-Hermel, where it remained relatively stable.
Key Findings: Employment and Unemployment
Employment-to-Population Ratio
The employment-to-population ratio stood at 30.6% in 2022, more than ten percentage points lower than the 43.3% recorded in 2018-2019. The ratio was higher for males (47.4%) than for females (15%), and lower for youth (17.9%) than for adults (34.2%).
Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate increased from 11.4% in 2018-2019 to 29.6% in 2022, indicating that almost one third of the labour force was unemployed in January 2022. The female unemployment rate (32.7%) was somewhat higher than the male rate (28.4%), while the youth unemployment rate (47.8%) was almost twice the adult rate (25.6%).
Key Findings: Labour Underutilization
Unemployment
29.6% of labour force in 2022
Time-related Underemployment
Combined with unemployment: 43.2%
Potential Labour Force
Combined with unemployment: 38.1%
4
4
Composite Measure
Total labour underutilization: 50.1%
The composite measure of labour underutilization increased enormously, from 16.2% in 2018-2019 to 50.1% in 2022, indicating that about half of the labour force and the potential labour force in Lebanon was underutilized in some form or other in 2022. The highest rate was among youth (64.2%) and women (57.1%).
Key Findings: Long-term Unemployment
Two Years or More
29.6% of the unemployed had been seeking employment for two years or more in 2022
One to Two Years
Another 19.2% had been seeking employment for between one and two years
Total Long-term Unemployment
About 48.8% of the unemployed were in long-term unemployment in 2022
Changing Pattern
Long-term unemployment actually declined from 56.5% in 2018-2019, possibly because some became discouraged and left the labour force
Key Findings: Persons Outside the Labour Force
Overall Proportion
According to the survey findings, about 56.6% of the total working age population were outside the labour force in 2022.
Gender Disparity
The great majority of persons outside the labour force were women (77.8%) compared to 33.8% of men.
Persons outside the labour force include students, homemakers, retirees, and discouraged workers who have stopped looking for employment due to various reasons, including past failure to find suitable jobs or lack of jobs matching their skills.
Key Findings: Economic Activity Changes
The branch of economic activity with the highest share of employment remains wholesale and retail trade, followed by public administration and defence and manufacturing. A significant drop was observed in the activities of households as employer, from 7.8% in 2018-2019 to 2.5% in 2022, suggesting lower reliance on domestic workers or out-migration following the economic crisis.
Key Findings: Informal Employment
Increasing Informality
Employment in the informal sector increased by 13.1 percentage points, from 35.2% in 2018-2019 to 48.3% in 2022. Similarly, informal employment increased by 7.5 percentage points, from 54.9% in 2018-2019 to 62.4% in 2022.
Informal employment in the non-agricultural sectors (SDG indicator 8.3.1) also increased during the period, from 53.7% in 2018-2018 to 60.3% in 2022.
The top three branches of economic activity with the highest percentage of informal employment remain "Agriculture, Fishing and Forestry" (98.1%), "Activities of Households as Employers" (91.5%) and "Construction" (90.5%).
Key Findings: Working Hours and Earnings
Working Hours Reduction
Average hours usually worked per week decreased from 48.5 to 44.4 hours
Average hours actually worked decreased from 46.6 to 41.0 hours
Proportion of persons working long hours (60+ per week) fell from 29% to 18.7%
Earnings in Context of Crisis
Average monthly earnings increased from 1,179,900 LBP to 2,284,100 LBP
However, consumer prices increased more than fivefold during this period
The Lebanese pound fell more than tenfold against the US dollar
Purchasing power of employees declined substantially despite nominal increases
Low-Pay Workers
23% of employees were earning less than two-thirds of the median monthly earnings in 2022
Among female employees, the proportion with low pay increased from 18.5% to 27%
Regional disparities: lowest in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, highest in Akkar (37.4%)