Tunisia's Young People Weigh Leaving Home: When 'Beyond Money' Becomes a Question About the Future

Tunis, Tunisia – For Maher Qassem, the phrase "beyond money" sums up why he is considering leaving his homeland. After years working in media and trying to stabilize life for his family, he now thinks about starting over abroad. Plans to buy a home or map out a better future have given way to immediate worries: covering monthly costs and increasingly mounting debts.

In an interview, Qassem said nearly all of his salary goes to repaying loans, rent and his son's education. At times, he added, he cannot help his ailing mother pay for medicine and treatment.

Qassem is among many young Tunisians who see no significant change in daily life. Seven years after President Kais Saied took power, he worries about his son's prospects and the quality of life the country can offer future generations. Still, some continue to place their trust in the president.

Tunisians are split into two camps: one says the past years have not brought the change they expected, while the other still believes reform is possible. These opposing views play out against a backdrop of prolonged economic hardship.

No change in sight

Ghaith recalls the excitement around the 2019 presidential election and the expectations created by Saied's victory. He was 19 at the time, little interested in politics and did not vote, but still remembers the hope that came with the president's election.

Seven years later, Ghaith says his own life has changed little. The cost-of-living pressures that existed then remain, while people regularly struggle to access some essential goods and services.

He also voiced frustration over how the authorities communicate with the public. According to him, Tunisians want clearer answers about government policies and the results those policies are expected to deliver. They also want accountability and a clear vision for the future.

For Qassem, the reason to leave is not only economic hardship. He says his work as a journalist has also become harder.

Not everyone, however, has lost faith in the president.

Mohamed Amine, a taxi driver in his 30s, voted for Saied in the most recent presidential election and still believes he can improve the country's situation. According to Amine, the president is "sincere in his intentions" and wants change, but many obstacles have hampered his reform program. He believes it is too early to judge results and that the president needs more time.

Unemployment and the migration wave

Unemployment, especially among young people and university graduates, remains a major challenge in Tunisia. According to the National Institute of Statistics, the unemployment rate stood at 14.9 percent in the second quarter of 2026, with about 622,000 people out of work.

The situation is more severe among young people. Unemployment among those aged 15–24 reaches 35.4 percent, while the rate among university graduates is 26.6 percent. Among female university graduates, the rate is 35.6 percent, compared with 14.2 percent for men.

The desire to leave is widespread. A study by Afrobarometer, an independent African research network that conducts public opinion surveys across the continent, found that about two-thirds of young Tunisians have considered emigrating. The share saying they think about leaving "a lot" rose from 38 percent in 2018 to 51 percent in 2024. Among young people considering migration, 59 percent cited better job opportunities as the main driver.

The findings reflect disillusionment among some of Tunisia's youth and growing concern about prospects for career and social stability at home.

Losing skilled labor

The desire to leave is not limited to young people looking for their first job. Tunisia is also steadily losing qualified professionals trained at home.

Kamel Sahnoun, head of the Tunisian Engineers Association, said at a news conference organized by the professional body that about 6,500 engineers left Tunisia in 2022 alone. That compares with an average of about 3,000 a year in 2013–2014, illustrating the scale of the skilled-labor outflow.

The health sector is also losing staff. Figures from the Tunisian Technical Cooperation Agency show that 1,839 medical and paramedical professionals were recruited to work abroad in 2023. Another 1,022 were recruited in the first nine months of 2024, followed by 1,244 in 2025.

These numbers, together with international demand for Tunisian expertise, reflect the search for better working and living conditions abroad.

Beyond economics

Hamza, 26, a software engineer working for a foreign company, earns what he describes as a good income. Yet he is still seriously considering leaving Tunisia.

"It's no longer just about money," he said.

His decision is shaped by many factors, including lifestyle, dealings with administrative bodies, uncertainty about the future and the country's overall economic situation.

Ramadan Ben Omar, a researcher specializing in migration, says the reasons people leave Tunisia have become more complex. According to him, the motivations are no longer purely economic but also include a desire for more freedom, opportunities to take part in public life and the ability to build a better future.

He says young people increasingly see migration as a life project in its own right, rather than simply a way to improve income. Ben Omar also highlighted border regions such as Ben Guerdane, where accumulated economic and social pressures lead more young people to consider leaving, through legal or irregular migration routes.

A question about the future

Maher has packed his bags for a new start in France. Hamza is still weighing his decision despite his career success. Ghaith is disillusioned after years of waiting, while Mohamed Amine continues to believe in the possibility of reform.

Their contrasting experiences reflect a country grappling with economic hardship and political uncertainty. For some, the prospect of a better life lies abroad; for others, hope for change at home remains.

The question for Tunisia is whether it can give young people enough reasons to stay.