The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) released data showing that the open unemployment rate (OUR) in Simalungun Regency reached 5.35% in 2023. This figure is a decrease of 0.16% compared to December 2022, which was recorded at 5.51%. However, compared to December 2021, the figure increased by 1.18%.
Over the past five years, the open unemployment rate (OUR) has shown an upward trend. This same condition occurred four years after the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in March 2020, further contributing to the rise in the open unemployment rate (OUR) in Simalungun Regency.
Compared to other regencies/cities, the open unemployment rate (OUR) in this regency/city ranks 148th nationally. The national average for the open unemployment rate (OUR) in 2023 was 4.3%.
The decrease in the open unemployment rate (OUR) is reflected in the number of employed people and the labor force figures published by BPS this year. The labor force in Simalungun Regency has shown an upward trend over the past 16 years. In 2021, the labor force was recorded at 469,220 workers, then increased by 110,540 workers from the previous year to 566,620 workers in 2023.
Regarding the number of employed people, the number of workers in Simalungun Regency has shown an upward trend over the past 14 years. After the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of workers has also been on an upward trend for the past four years. In 2021, the number of workers was 449,680, then increased by 105,320 workers from the previous year to 536,290 workers in 2023.
The decrease in the open unemployment rate (OUR) in Simalungun Regency is not directly related to the economic growth in this region, which also continued to increase in 2023. The economy in this region in 2023 was recorded at 5.07 percent. Previously, in 2022, economic growth in this regency/city was recorded at 4.68 percent.
The following are the ten regencies/cities with the highest open unemployment rates (OUR) in North Sumatra Province in 2023:
- Medan City 8.67%
- Deli Serdang Regency 8.62%
- Pematang Siantar City 8.62%
- West Tapanuli Regency 7.81%
- Padang Sidempuan City 7.57%
- Mandailing Natal Regency 7.45%
- Sibolga City 6.79%
- Langkat Regency 6.33%
- Tebing Tinggi City 6.24%
- Asahan Regency 6.12%
The following are the ten regencies/cities with the lowest open unemployment rates (OUR) in 2023:
- Pakpak Bharat Regency 0.45%
- West Nias Regency 0.8%
- Humbang Hasundutan Regency 0.84%
- North Tapanuli Regency 1.03%
- Samosir Regency 1.03%
- Dairi Regency 1.23%
- Toba Samosir Regency 1.3%
- Nias Regency 2.31%
- North Nias Regency 2.57%
- Karo Regency 2.63%