The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has announced that over 34,000 work permits were issued in the second quarter of this year.
According to the ministry, this figure indicates a 65% increase in the issuance of work permits compared to the first quarter of the year.
Officials from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs add that 247,067 men and 871 women have been employed in governmental institutions. Additionally, more than 6,000 men and 1,600 women have been employed in the private sector, along with 1,122 foreign nationals in various sectors.
Samiullah Ebrahimi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, said: “In the second quarter of 1403 solar year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs distributed more than 34,000 work permits to citizens and foreign nationals. These individuals have been officially employed in governmental and private sector institutions.”
Meanwhile, a number of economic experts urge the Islamic Emirate to create sustainable job opportunities to prevent rising unemployment and worsening economic problems.
Shams Rahman Ahmadi, an economic expert, said: “Afghans should be provided with work opportunities in professional and technical fields in line with their expertise, and we should integrate them into a system where they can perform effectively.”
Mir Shakeeb Mir, another economic expert, added: “Issuing work permits does not necessarily mean job creation; for real employment generation, Afghanistan’s obstacles to economic development and growth must be identified and addressed.”
According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, in the first quarter of this year, 22,427 work permits were also distributed.
This comes as unemployment in Afghanistan, due to economic crises and the lack of sustainable job opportunities, has become one of the country’s most pressing social issues.