(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)

Amman, July 15 (Petra) -- Minister of Labor Khaled Bakar said Tuesday that the Ministry has finalized the pilot version of the Labor Market Information System, set for launch by the end of the year, as part of broader efforts to modernize labor market governance and enhance employment opportunities for Jordanians.
Speaking at a meeting with journalists titled "The Impact of Labor Market Regulation on Job Creation for Jordanians," held under the Government Communication Forum, Bakar said the new digital system will enable evidence-based decision-making by providing up-to-date data on labor supply, demand, and sectoral trends.
He added that the Labor Market Information System is integrated with several government entities, including the Department of Statistics, the Social Security Corporation, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the Accreditation and Quality Assurance Commission, with technical coordination underway with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship to ensure robust cybersecurity measures.
Bakar also detailed the implementation of the Labor Market Observatory, which will monitor labor market indicators and inform policy development. He noted the observatory's rollout will occur in four phases and is complemented by an early warning system designed to identify economically distressed companies, assess employment trends among Jordanian and non-Jordanian workers, and promote compliance with national employment targets.
Highlighting the Ministry's broader strategies, Bakar said regulatory decisions are continually evaluated and adjusted to align with the Economic Modernization Vision, which aims to reduce unemployment, drive economic growth, and attract investment.
The Minister reported significant progress under royal initiatives to expand production branches and units nationwide, noting their number has risen to 33, employing 9,298 Jordanians 90.8 percent of whom are women and 4.2 percent persons with disabilities with a capacity for 11,711 workers. He said five additional branches are operational, three are under construction, and six are planned to localize job opportunities closer to communities and reduce commuting burdens.
On employment outcomes, Bakar said the National Employment Program supported 51,291 employment contracts by mid-2025, benefiting 1,651 private-sector establishments. During the first half of 2025, over 10,000 job seekers registered with the Ministry, resulting in the employment of 3,673 individuals across various sectors, alongside the organization of 34 job fairs.
Regarding vocational training, Bakar said the Ministry collaborates with the Vocational Training Corporation, which operates 30 institutes, eight centers of excellence, and offers 128 training programs 23 newly launched and 76 updated. He said 10,850 trainees enrolled during the first half of this year, achieving an employment rate of roughly 62 percent for graduates. He added that partnerships with the private sector are underway to establish specialized academies in fields such as manufacturing, agricultural technology, tourism and hospitality, e-commerce, textiles, culinary arts, jewelry, and automotive maintenance.
Bakar estimated the current number of unemployed at 430,000, with an additional 357,000 Jordanians working in the informal sector without social protection, underscoring the urgency of labor market regulation and formalization efforts in line with national economic objectives.
In support of entrepreneurship and youth employment, Bakar highlighted initiatives by the Development and Employment Fund, which financed JD9.7 million in the first half of 2025 for 733 projects, creating 1,411 jobs across governorates. Funded programs include support for women's economic empowerment, new business ventures, and the acquisition of electric vehicles in collaboration with the Jordan Post Company.
Addressing regulation of non-Jordanian labor, Bakar said the Ministry has introduced several measures, including reviewing sector-specific quotas for foreign workers, permitting inter-sector labor transfers from late 2024, and signing memoranda of understanding with key industries to balance foreign labor needs with the employment of Jordanians.
The Ministry has also revised work permit fees, reducing charges for specialized skills and waiving the exit and return requirement for Egyptian workers. Furthermore, penalties for Gaza Strip workers who failed to renew permits have been waived, while permit fees for both Gazan and Syrian workers have been exempted until June 30, 2025.
Bakar reported that joint inspection campaigns with the Ministry of Interior and the Public Security Directorate led to the deportation of 4,552 undocumented foreign workers in the first half of 2025, compared to 1,509 in 2024.
He stressed the Ministry's commitment to upholding labor rights and ensuring occupational health and safety compliance through the Inspection Directorate, noting that 5,428 labor complaints were lodged on the "Himaya" electronic platform in the first half of 2025, most of which were resolved. During the same period, inspection teams visited 14,889 establishments, focusing on sectors with high incidences of safety violations, child labor, or non-compliance in employing persons with disabilities.
The Domestic Workers Directorate, he added, continues efforts to protect the rights of domestic workers and regulate recruitment practices, while raising awareness among workers and employers alike.
Regarding labor disputes, Bakar said the Ministry handled 26 cases in the first half of 2025, successfully resolving 22 through direct negotiations, with the remainder still under review.
Bakar concluded by announcing the government's plan to establish a fund to support graduates of vocational training institutes, aimed at empowering youth to launch entrepreneurial projects and secure sustainable livelihoods.

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