Go to ILO main website

Timor-Leste

Overview of national employment policies

Has national employment policy
Yes
Adoption of national employment policies
1ST revision in 2017
Is the NEP under revision?
No

Dialogue and stakeholders in the formulation process

National
Ministry in charge of economy/planning/finance
Yes
Ministry in charge of employment
Yes
Trade unions
Yes
children
-
text
- Secretary of State for Employment Policy and Vocational Training (SEFOPE); - Minister of State Coordinator for Economic Affairs (MECAE); - Chamber of Commerce and Industry Timor-Leste (CCI-TL); - Timor-Leste Trade Union Confederation (KSTL).
Employers’ organisations
Yes
ILO
Yes
Regional
children
-
N.A.
Yes
Local
No
N.A.
-

Coordinating actor in formulating the employment policy

Ministry in charge of employment/labour
Yes
Ministry in charge of economy/finance/planning
Yes
Sectoral ministry
-
Other
-
N.A.
-

Employment policy goals

Economic growth
-
Decent work
-
Employment as central to development strategy
-
Employment creation /promotion
Yes
Ensure equal opportunities / prevent discrimination in employment
-
Freely chosen employment
-
Full employment
-
Poverty reduction
-
Productive employment
Yes
Protection of workers' rights
-
Reduce unemployment
Yes
Reduce underemployment
-
Social inclusion
-
Environment/green jobs
-
Other
Yes
N.A.
-

Additional information:
The vision of the Timor-Leste National Employment Strategy is to generate productive employment opportunities for the Timorese population, reducing unemployment and transitioning to formal employment opportunities, as a central means of nation building and wealth creation.

Strategic objectives

Strategic objectives
Pillar 1: Increasing labour market demand. Pillar 2: Improving labour market supply. Pillar 3: Strengthening labour market institutions.

Employment targets

Employment opportunities
Yes
Adequate earnings and productive work
-
Decent hours
-
Work that should be abolished
-
Equal opportunity and treatment in employment
-
Social security
-
Social dialogue - Workers' and employers' representation
-
Other
-

Additional information:
Planned milestones for the 2017-2022 period : - Labour force participation (male): from 39.7% to 43%. - Labour force participation (female): from 21.3% to 25%. - Unemployment rate (male): from 11.3% to 9%. - Unemployment rate (female): from 10.4% to 8%. - Youth unemployment (male): from 25.3% to 22%. - Youth unemployment (female): from 16.7% to 14.5%. - Youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) (male) : from 23.4% to 20%. - Youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) (female) : from 29.5% to 25%. - Informal employment (male): from 70% to 67%. - Informal employment (female): from 76% to 73%. - Vulnerable employment (male): from 48% to 45%. - Vulnerable employment (female): from 69.9% to 66%. - Participation of unskilled labour in formal employment (male) : from 44% to 48%. - Participation of mid-level skill labour force in formal employment (male) : from 44% to 46%. - Participation of skilled labour force in formal employment (male) : from 12% to 6%. - Private sector employment (of formal employment) (male) : from 37% to 43%. - Private sector employment (of formal employment) (female) : from 37% to 40%.( No data available for female private sector formal employment and therefore we use male figure as baseline. Planned milestones for the 2022-2027 period : - Labour force participation (male): from 43% to 48%. - Labour force participation (female): from 25% to 30%. - Unemployment rate (male): from 9% to 7%. - Unemployment rate (female): from 8% to 6%. - Youth unemployment (male): from 22% to 20%. - Youth unemployment (female): from 14.5% to 12%. - Youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) (male) : from 20% to 17%. - Youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) (female) : from 25% to 22%. - Informal employment (male): from 67% to 63%. - Informal employment (female): from 73% to 69%. - Vulnerable employment (male): from 45% to 41%. - Vulnerable employment (female): from 66% to 62%. - Participation of unskilled labour in formal employment (male) : from 48% to 44%. - Participation of mid-level skill labour force in formal employment (male) : from 46% to 48%. - Participation of skilled labour force in formal employment (male) : from 6% to 8%. - Private sector employment (of formal employment) (male) : from 43% to 46%. - Private sector employment (of formal employment) (female) : from 40% to 43%. Planned milestones for the 2027-2030 period (Middle-Income Country) : - Labour force participation (male): from 48% to 53%. - Labour force participation (female): from 30% to 35%. - Unemployment rate (male): from 7% to 5%. - Unemployment rate (female): from 6% to 5%. - Youth unemployment (male): from 20% to 17%. - Youth unemployment (female): from 12% to 10%. - Youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) (male) : from 17% to 14%. - Youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) (female) : from 22% to 17%. - Informal employment (male): from 63% to 58%. - Informal employment (female): from 68% to 63%. - Vulnerable employment (male): from 41% to 37%. - Vulnerable employment (female): from 62% to 55%. - Participation of unskilled labour in formal employment (male) : from 44% to 40%. - Participation of mid-level skill labour force in formal employment (male) : from 48% to 50%. - Participation of skilled labour force in formal employment (male) : from 8% to 10%. - Private sector employment (of formal employment) (male) : from 46% to 50%. - Private sector employment (of formal employment) (female) : from 43% to 47%.

Action plan for implementation

National action plan
Yes
Subnational action plan
-

Coordination framework

NEP coordination framework?
Yes

Monitoring indicators

Employment opportunities
Yes
Adequate earnings and productive work
-
Decent hours
-
Work that should be abolished
-
Equal opportunity and treatment in employment
-
Social security
-
Social dialogue - Workers' and employers' representation
-
Other
-

Additional information:
- Labour force participation (male, female). - Unemployment rate (male, female). - Youth unemployment (male, female). - Youth not in education, employment or training (NEET) (male, female). - Informal employment (male, female). - Vulnerable employment (male, female). - Participation of unskilled labour in formal employment (male). - Participation of mid-level skill labour force in formal employment (male). - Participation of skilled labour force in formal employment (male). - Private sector employment (of formal employment) (male, female).

Target groups

Youth
Yes
Women
Yes
Informal workers
-
Rural workers
Yes
Older persons
-
People with disabilities
Yes
Migrants workers
Yes
Other
Yes
N.A.
-
No target group
-

Additional information:
Other: vulnerable groups.