Irans Regional Labor Market Disequilibrium Survey

This paper tries to survey Irans regional labor market disequilibrium within 1996-2000. According to the results there has been an increase in the amount of disequilibrium of Irans national as well as regional labor markets. Incomplete labor market information on vacant job opportunities in different regions of the country along with high costs of migration have been the major causes of unemployment rates inequality among Irans provinces. In 13 out of 14 provinces with unemployment rates more than national average in 2000, either the active population growth rate has been more than that of the national average or the employment growth rate has been less than that of the national everage. Hence, adopting the policies that lead to the limitation of the active population growth as well as to the rise of employment growth in such regions is regarded highly important. The increase of unemployment rate has caused major concerns in some provinces in a way that if due measure are not taken to tackle their problems, the emergence of unemployment crisis and its detrimental after-effects would be inevitable. The lack of a regional development plan and the labor market mismanagement are considered some of the major causes of in the regional labor market disequilibrium increase. It is expected that Irans fourth development plan would take the issues mentioned into consideration. The preparation of a regional development plan and the establishment of an efficient body for managing the labor market are some of the effective measures with the aim of decreasing regional disequilibrium.