Determinants of Youth Unemployment: Evidence from Jordan
Purpose: This study's main objective is to identify and analyze the main determinants of youth unemployment in Jordan. Design/Approach/Methodology: The study employs a Multinomial logistic regression model (MLM) to analyze the determinants of youth unemployment in Jordan using data based on the Jordan labor market panel survey (JLMPS) in 2016, which was conducted by the Department of Statistics (DOS). Findings: The study finds that youth employment in Jordan is influenced by gender, educational level, geographical location, and marital status. According to the youths covered by this study, male youth stand a better chance of being employed than the female counterpart. Therefore, special attention must be paid to integrating the youth and particularly females better into the labor market for increasing the prospect of their employment. Practical Implication: The results can be used to mitigate the problems of youth unemployment, especially female youth unemployment, in Jordan and other Arab countries. Policymakers must focus on certain constraints, such as mobility and cultural factors, as roadblocks that may cause relatively higher youth female unemployment. Originality/Value: This is one of the latest attempts to identify, investigate, and analyze the causes of youth unemployment in Jordan. The study adds to scholarly debate on youth unemployment's main determinants by giving evidence from a developing country. However, this study unveils a unique feature of youth unemployment in Jordan; this study will bridge the literature gap, especially for Jordan, and help improve overall youth unemployment.