Young Tunisians Look Abroad as Economic and Political Uncertainty Deepens

Young Tunisians are increasingly looking beyond their country as unemployment, financial pressure and uncertainty about the future influence decisions about whether to emigrate.

Accounts from Tunisians featured in an Al Jazeera report show that the reasons for considering departure extend beyond wages. Professional difficulties, dealings with public administration, dissatisfaction with political communication and a desire for greater freedom and participation in public life are also shaping the debate.

Economic pressure remains a major factor

Maher Qassem, who has worked in the media, is considering leaving Tunisia after struggling to build a stable life for his family. He said that almost all of his salary is absorbed by loan repayments, rent and his son’s education. At times, he said, he has been unable to help his sick mother with medication and treatment costs.

Qassem also said working as a journalist had become more difficult. He has packed his bags for a new beginning in France, according to the report, describing the motivations behind his decision as being “beyond money.”

Another Tunisian, Ghaith, said little had changed in his life seven years after the 2019 presidential election. He pointed to continuing cost-of-living pressures, difficulties accessing some essential goods and services, dissatisfaction with government communication, and demands for accountability and a clear national vision.

The economic data highlights the scale of the challenge. Tunisia’s National Institute of Statistics recorded an unemployment rate of 14.9 percent in the second quarter of 2026, representing approximately 622,000 people. Unemployment stood at 35.4 percent among people aged 15 to 24 and 26.6 percent among university graduates. The rate was 35.6 percent for female university graduates and 14.2 percent for male university graduates.

Emigration seen as a broader life choice

Afrobarometer findings cited in the report indicate that around two-thirds of young Tunisians had considered emigrating. The proportion of young people who said they thought frequently about leaving rose from 38 percent in 2018 to 51 percent in 2024. Among those considering emigration, 59 percent identified better job opportunities as their main motivation.

Ramadan Ben Omar said the factors driving departure had become more complex and were no longer solely financial. He cited the search for greater freedom, participation in public life and the opportunity to build a better future. Young people, he said, increasingly view emigration as a life project rather than simply a way to earn more money.

Ben Omar also linked accumulated economic and social pressures in border areas, including Ben Guerdane, to growing interest in both regular and irregular migration.

Hamza, a 26-year-old software engineer employed by a foreign company, is seriously considering leaving Tunisia despite earning what he describes as a good income. He said his thinking was influenced by his lifestyle, interactions with the administration, uncertainty about the future and the wider economic situation. “It’s no longer just about money,” he said.

Skilled workers also leaving

The pressure is not limited to young people searching for their first jobs. Tunisia is also losing trained professionals to overseas employment.

Kamel Sahnoun, head of the Tunisian Order of Engineers, said approximately 6,500 engineers left Tunisia in 2022. That compared with an annual average of about 3,000 departures in 2013 and 2014.

Figures from the Tunisian Agency for Technical Cooperation show that 1,839 healthcare and paramedical professionals were recruited to work abroad in 2023. A further 1,022 were recruited during the first nine months of 2024, followed by 1,244 in 2025.

Divided views on President Saied

Tunisians remain divided over President Kais Saied’s record and the prospects for reform. Mohamed Amine, a taxi driver in his 30s, voted for Saied in the most recent presidential election and continues to believe the president can improve the country’s situation.

Amine described Saied as “sincere in his intentions” and said he wanted change but had faced obstacles to his reform programme. He also said the president should be given more time to produce results.

While some Tunisians continue to support the possibility of change, the experiences described by Qassem, Ghaith and Hamza point to persistent concerns about livelihoods, professional prospects and civic life. For many young people, the decision to leave is therefore being weighed not only against income, but also against their expectations for stability and the future.