اخبار سوريا اليوم – وطن نيوز
سوريا اليوم – اخبار سوريا عاجل
W6nnews.com ==== وطن === تاريخ النشر – 2026-03-14 14:30:00
In the early hours of dawn, Ahmed Al-Khalaf stands in one of the workers’ gathering squares in the city of Raqqa, waiting for a job opportunity that may or may not come. He carries his simple tools and spends long hours among dozens of workers who, like him, are looking for daily work transporting building materials or loading goods. He often returns home at the end of the day without getting any work. Al-Khalaf, a day laborer, says: “We come to the squares from the early morning hours and wait for long hours, and sometimes we return to our homes without working,” and that at best he works two or three days a week, which makes him unable to cover the costs of basic needs. Ahmed’s story reflects the reality of thousands of workers in Syria who depend on daily or seasonal work as a main source of income in light of low wages and the absence of job stability. This reality becomes more difficult when compared to the cost of living, as current economic estimates indicate that a Syrian family consisting of four members needs about 7.7 million Syrian pounds per month to secure the minimum basic needs, while a more stable standard of living, or what is known as living in dignity, requires about 11 million Syrian pounds per month. On the other hand, most salaries and wages in large sectors of the labor market range between $85 and $400 per month at best, which reflects a large gap between income and the costs of daily life. The reality of the labor market in Syria: The labor market in Syria is witnessing a difficult economic and living reality that is directly reflected on workers and employees, in light of weak wages, a decline in organized job opportunities, and the absence of professional guarantees that guarantee workers’ rights and protect them from exploitation. A large number of the population depends on temporary and seasonal work as a main source of income, amid a clear disparity in wages between different professions and sectors. A large percentage of daily labor is concentrated in heavy construction and service work, such as transporting building materials or loading goods. The wages for these jobs range between 50,000 and 150,000 Syrian pounds per day, depending on the nature of the work and the number of working hours, but the availability of these opportunities remains irregular, which makes the worker’s income unstable. Some workers who work in shops or workshops also receive weekly wages that may reach about 500 thousand Syrian pounds, while the wages of skilled workers such as carpenters, blacksmiths, and electricians may reach about one million Syrian pounds per week, depending on experience and the nature of the work. As for workers who get semi-permanent jobs in shops and warehouses, especially in the work of loading and unloading goods such as food, medical supplies, and fertilizers, they usually receive monthly wages that range between one and a half million. And two million Syrian pounds. This type of work is relatively more stable compared to daily labor, but it remains a limited income in light of the continuous rise in prices. Mahmoud Al-Hussein, a worker in a commercial complex in the city of Raqqa, says: “The monthly income is better than daily work, but it remains limited due to the high prices, and we also do not have any guarantees in the event of injury during work or sudden job loss.” In the industrial sector, industrialist Mustafa Hamidi, owner of a facility in the Bab al-Hawa area in the Idlib countryside, points out that the minimum wage in some factories is about $250 per month, and may reach $1,500 in some specialized technical or administrative jobs. He adds that salaries vary according to the nature of the work inside the factory, as the production manager, accountant, and warehouse keeper get about $800 per month, while the maintenance technician gets about $700, indicating that each department has a different nature of work. Allowances differ from other departments. As for the government sector, the average employee’s salary ranges between approximately $120 and $150 per month, which is equivalent to about one million Syrian pounds, which is among the lowest levels of salaries compared to other sectors. A number of workers indicate that the income of some craft professions, such as construction, tiling, or painting, ranges between $120 and $200 per month, depending on the number of available working days, while the average salary of some textile factory workers is about $180 per month, depending on experience and seniority at work. In other sectors, such as transportation and delivery services, a worker’s income may reach about $10 a day if work is available on a regular basis. As for the capital, Damascus, market workers indicate that a worker in commercial stores gets about $200 a month, while a worker’s income in some textile factories may reach about $400 a month, and a worker’s income in daily construction work may reach about $600 a month if work is available on a regular basis. The salaries of volunteers in the army and public security also range between $250 and above, while the salaries of employees contracting with the government after the fall of the previous regime range between $250 and $600, depending on the nature of the work and experience. Women’s Agricultural Work Agricultural work is one of the most prominent fields in which women work within the day labor system, as female workers receive a wage of approximately 6,000 Syrian pounds per hour. Women often work in organized groups, with work extending for about four hours in the morning and three hours in the evening. Umm Muhammad Al-Ali, an agricultural worker from Raqqa, says: “We depend on work during the agricultural seasons to secure our families’ expenses.” However, this work is linked to the agricultural seasons, as agricultural activity stops almost completely during the winter as a result of the cessation of planting and harvesting operations, while the demand for female labor increases during the rest of the seasons of the year, forcing many female workers to go into debt or look for other work during periods of recession. Economic estimates of the level of wages, Dean of the Higher Institute of Business Administration, Dr. Marouf Al-Khalaf, said that the average rate of salaries and wages in Syria is supposed to reach about 800 US dollars per month in order to achieve part of the self-sufficiency of the Syrian family. He points out that the average salaries in the countries neighboring Syria are about $600 per month, which demonstrates the large gap between wages inside Syria and income levels in the region. Al-Khalaf confirms that improving the level of income requires working on several axes, most notably monitoring inflation rates, adopting balanced tax policies, encouraging investment, increasing productivity, in addition to expanding job opportunities in various economic sectors. He also points out that strengthening the social system, especially in the health and education sectors, represents an important factor in improving the standard of living, stressing that raising wages must be part of a comprehensive economic policy based on increasing revenues and stimulating economic activity. The role of unions: Despite the ambiguity of the union scene after the fall of the Assad regime, the General Federation of Trade Unions in Syria is trying to overcome the previous stage, according to what its leaders say. The president of the union, Fawaz Al-Ahmad, believes that improving workers’ conditions in the next stage is linked to revitalizing the economy and developing the work environment in a way that guarantees workers’ rights and enhances job stability. Al-Ahmad stressed in press statements the necessity of raising salaries and wages in proportion to the cost of living, and expanding the umbrella of social insurance to include the largest possible number of workers, especially in the private sector, in addition to strengthening oversight of the application of labor laws and ensuring workers’ registration in social insurance. He also stresses that supporting the productive sectors and restarting industrial and agricultural facilities represents an essential step to creating new job opportunities and improving the level of workers’ income. Ministry of Social Affairs, Labor and Labor Market Regulation The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor confirms that improving the conditions of workers and regulating the labor market constitute one of its most prominent priorities. The representative of the Ministry, Raghda Zidan, explains that the Ministry has begun, since the post-liberation period, to work on reviving the social dialogue that brings together the three parties to the production process: the government, workers, and employers, with the aim of discussing laws, rights and duties related to labor relations. She points out that the Ministry has begun reviewing Labor Law No. 17 regulating work in the private sector, in the presence of representatives of workers and employers, with the aim of introducing amendments that achieve a better balance between workers’ rights and the requirements of the labor market. The Ministry is also working on launching the national employment strategy, which includes developing vocational training programs, organizing employment offices, launching a labor market platform, and enhancing labor inspection and occupational safety. The ministry’s data indicates that the number of workers participating in social insurance reached about 876,671 workers. A minimum wage in the private sector of 750,000 Syrian pounds was also approved, with plans to raise it in the future in proportion to the cost of living. The impact of the war on the labor market: The reality of wages and income levels in Syria cannot be understood in isolation from the impact of the long years of war, which led to a decline in economic activity and damage to large productive sectors. Years of conflict have contributed to the destruction of a large number of industrial, agricultural and service facilities, leading to the loss of millions of job opportunities and a decline in production and income levels. In this context, the Syrian Minister of Economy and Industry, Muhammad Nidal al-Shaar, announced in August 2025 that the unemployment rate in Syria exceeds 60%. A report issued by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) also indicates that the Syrian economy has lost more than half its size compared to 2010, and that the labor market has lost millions of jobs during the years of war. International experiences in raising wages: The experiences of a number of countries that have gone through economic crises or long wars indicate that improving wage levels is often linked to rebuilding productive sectors and enhancing economic growth. In Vietnam, the economic reform program known as “Doi Moi” in 1986 contributed to achieving continuous economic growth, which was gradually reflected in rising income levels. Rwanda also witnessed an economic experience that focused on modernizing the agricultural sector, supporting small and medium enterprises, and improving the investment environment. As for South Korea, since the 1960s, it has adopted development plans that focused on industrialization, exports, and investment in education and technology, which led to rapid economic growth and a significant rise in wage levels. The data contained in this investigation indicate that wage levels in Syria are still low compared to the cost of living, as the average monthly income in many sectors ranges between about $85 in government jobs and $200 to $400 in a number of private jobs, while in some craft or construction professions it may reach about $600 per month if work is available on a regular basis. However, these levels remain far below the minimum necessary to cover living needs, as a Syrian family of four needs about 7.7 million Syrian pounds per month to secure the minimum basic living requirements, while reaching a more stable standard of living requires about 11 million Syrian pounds per month. Economists believe that improving the reality of wages requires working on a set of parallel paths, most notably revitalizing productive sectors, encouraging investment, improving the business environment and expanding job opportunities, in addition to developing tax policies and strengthening social protection networks. In conclusion, the future of wages in Syria remains linked to the economy’s ability to recover and rebuild its production base, and to the extent of the success of economic policies in achieving a balance between improving the standard of living of citizens, sustaining economic activity, and creating new job opportunities.
