In its latest report on the Jordanian economy, the World Bank stated that unemployment rates among young people in the kingdom (15-29 years) reached an unprecedented level of 50%. 

The coronavirus pandemic contributed to the problem last year, but the opening of the market to foreign workers even before the beginning of the pandemic exacerbated unemployment figures among Jordanians.

The number of foreign workers in Jordan is estimated at 1 million, of whom about 350,000 are registered with the Ministry of Labor while over 600,000 others are unregistered and work informally.

Most of the foreign workers are Egyptians and Syrians. On the other hand, some blame the "pampered" young Jordanians who are not interested in engaging in jobs in which foreigners are dominant, such as construction and agriculture.