Editing Economy of Libya (section)

==Labor market==
Libya posted a 3.3% rate of population growth during 1960–2003. In 2003, 86% of the population was [[Urban area|urban]], compared to 45% in 1970. Although no reliable estimates are available, [[unemployment]] is reportedly acute: over 50% of the population under the age of 20. Moreover, despite the bias of [[labor market]] regulations favoring Libyan workers, the mismatch of the educational system with market demand has produced a large pool of expatriate workers, with typically better-suited education and higher productivity. However, because of shortages for manual labor, Libya has also attracted important numbers of less skilled immigrants. [[Expatriate]] workers represent an estimated fifth of the labor force.<ref>Although, in the absence of a labor force survey, estimates are surrounded by considerable uncertainty</ref>

Although significant, the proportion of expatriate workers is still below oil producing countries in the [[Persian Gulf]]. Foreign workers mainly come from the [[Maghreb]], Egypt, Turkey, India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Poland, [[Chad]], [[Sudan]], and [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]].<ref>http://www.seenews.com/news/latestnews/bosnia_senergoinvestsees2007profitunchanging_signscontractsinlibya_-151444/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227140627/http://www.seenews.com/news/latestnews/bosnia_senergoinvestsees2007profitunchanging_signscontractsinlibya_-151444/ |date=27 February 2008 }} Bosnia's Energoinvest Sees 2007 Profit Flat, Signs Contracts in Libya, Algeria</ref><ref>http://www.arabianbusiness.com/506991-bosnian-firm-clinches-52mn-libya-deal?ln=en {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105112019/http://www.arabianbusiness.com/506991-bosnian-firm-clinches-52mn-libya-deal?ln=en |date=5 January 2008 }} Bosnian firm clinches $52mn Libya deal</ref> They tend to earn relatively high wages, taking either skilled or hard manual jobs. Census data for 2000 show the share of expatriates earning over LD 300 (US$230) per month was 20%, compared to 12% for Libyan nationals. A campaign encouraging conversion of qualified [[civil servants]] to entrepreneurs, in the face of public sector over employment and declining productivity, does not seem to be producing the desired results thus far.<ref name="World Bank 2006"/>