…government claims it is stepping-up on more job initiatives
TIL BDR GHALLEY
Thimphu
Amid growing concern over rising youth unemployment and its link to emerging social issues, the government has intensified its response through a series of targeted programmes aimed at generating job opportunities and equipping young people with market-ready skills.
Youth unemployment in Bhutan currently stands at 17.7 percent, a marginal drop from last year’s 19 percent. While this signals modest progress, the government says more efforts are underway to bring the figure down further.
“This is a positive sign of improvement,” said Minister for Industry, Commerce and Employment, Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji. “The government is rolling out a range of targeted initiatives to boost youth employment.”
The minister was responding to concerns raised during a National Assembly session by Thrimshing-Kangpar Member of Parliament Damche Tenzin, who cautioned that high youth unemployment is feeding frustration among young people and contributing to increased crime rates.
“It’s crucial that we prioritise creating job opportunities for young people to help mitigate these issues,” said MP Damche Tenzin. He warned that joblessness among Bhutanese aged 21 to 30 is being increasingly linked to criminal activity and broader social instability.
As part of its response, the government has launched several employment initiatives. One flagship programme, the Youth Engagement and Livelihood Programme, has already benefited 2,043 youth. The programme combines internships, skills development, and job placements.
In parallel, the De-Suung Skilling Programme (DSP) a collaboration between the government and the De-Suung initiative has trained over 8,860 youth across various fields such as Information Communication Technology (ICT), culinary arts, construction, and agriculture.
“The De-Suung Skilling Programme has provided valuable training to youth who were uncertain about their career paths after graduation,” said Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji. “It’s playing a critical role in addressing youth unemployment by equipping young people with the necessary skills.”
Despite these efforts, the gap between job availability and the number of jobseekers remains. To address this, the government is increasingly facilitating overseas employment.
In the past year, 514 Bhutanese youth were placed in jobs abroad, and another 340 are expected to depart this year.
Complementing these initiatives is the National Reintegration Programme, which is currently assisting over 600 returnees with reintegration support and employment assistance.
The government is also working closely with corporations, civil society organisations (CSOs), government bodies, and the private sector to strengthen the country’s employment services.
A key mechanism is the Employment Responsibility System, which calls on employers to take a proactive role in offering job opportunities to registered jobseekers.
“So far, about 4,000 individuals have registered with the Employment Service Centre, and we are still actively supporting them in their job search,” the minister said.
Another major thrust in the government’s strategy is fostering entrepreneurship. The Bhutan Entrepreneur Fund, backed by international donors and government collaboration, provides financial support to youth led startups.
“The government has allocated approximately Nu 8 billion as part of its 21st-century economic roadmap, which focuses on fostering innovation and self-employment opportunities,” said Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji.
He added that for youth who are skilled in entrepreneurship, the government is not only creating opportunities within Bhutan but also aiming to help them expand their ventures internationally.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to reducing youth unemployment month-by-month through sustained engagement and policy innovation. “We set our targets on reducing youth unemployment rates,” he said.
More than 4,300 youth are currently registered under various employment schemes, reflecting both the scale of the challenge and the growing response.
The government’s integrated approach blending skills development, job placements, overseas opportunities, reintegration support, and entrepreneurship is being positioned as a long -term solution to one of the nation’s most pressing issues.
The youth unemployment issue has remained at the top of the national development agenda in recent years.
Stakeholders continue to emphasize the need for sustained engagement, inter-agency coordination, and private sector involvement to effectively address youth unemployment as thousands of young Bhutanese enter the job market annually.
