The Tunisian government has announced plans to recruit 32,557 new public servants in 2027, as part of its budget plan for the upcoming year. This move is part of a broader effort to address employment needs in the country. The recruitments will be spread across various sectors, with the education sector set to receive the largest allocation of 5,855 posts. Other sectors, such as interior, health, and defense, will also benefit from the new recruitments.
The budget plan also includes a significant increase in remuneration expenses, which are expected to rise by 8.2% to 27,349 million dinars (MDT) in 2027. This increase is attributed to two tranches of salary increases planned for 2026-2028, as well as the regularization of agents working on construction sites and promotions. The mass salary is expected to represent 13.7% of the country's GDP.
A deputy, Halim Boussema, has questioned the government's recruitment plans, citing concerns that the new hires may not lead to actual employment opportunities. He has asked for details on the recruitments programmed from 2023 to 2026, including the number of posts that have been advertised, the number of successful candidates, and the number of those who have actually taken up their positions.
The deputy has also sought information on the number of public servants who have retired and not been replaced, as well as the criteria for revoking state cadres and the administration's preparedness for artificial intelligence. The government's response to these questions is expected before the examination of the new recruitment program.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INS), the number of public servants has been increasing steadily, with 652,498 agents recorded in December 2025. However, there is a discrepancy between this figure and the government's planned ceiling of 692,702 agents authorized by the end of 2027. The INS has also reported that the administration is renewing itself without significant growth.
The INS data shows that the number of agents aged 55 and over has increased significantly, from 58,864 in 2018 to 99,253 in 2025, representing 15.2% of the total workforce. This trend is expected to continue, with a large number of retirements anticipated in the coming years. The government will need to address the challenge of replacing these departing agents.
The cost of the new recruitments is not explicitly stated in the budget plan, but an estimate based on the average monthly cost of an agent in 2025 suggests that it could be around 1,054 MDT per year. The government will need to finance this expenditure through various means, including taxes, which are expected to generate 49,600 MDT in revenue.
Key points
- The Tunisian government plans to recruit 32,557 new public servants in 2027.
- The budget plan includes an 8.2% increase in remuneration expenses to 27,349 MDT.
- The recruitments will be spread across various sectors, with education receiving the largest allocation.
