The Essentials
- 27,349 billion dinars : planned personnel expenditures for 2027, up 8.2%.
- 39.7% : share of the wage bill in budget expenditures excluding principal debt repayment.
- 13.7% of GDP : projected share of personnel expenditures.
- 32 557 posts : recruitments and regularizations programmed.
- 8,220 billion dinars : salary credits allocated to the education sector.
An increase linked to recruitment and salary increases
According to the budget project data, the rise in personnel expenditures is mainly explained by measures aimed at promoting employment, opening new posts in the public service and regularizing precarious professional situations.
This evolution also takes into account the financial repercussions of wage and salary increases planned in the public sector over the 2026-2028 period, in accordance with the provisions of Article 15 of the Finance Law for 2026.
In absolute value, personnel expenditures would rise by 2.082 billion dinars compared with the 2026 expected results (TN calculation).
The wage bill would thus represent 39.7% of the State budget expenditures, excluding principal debt repayments, and 13.7% of GDP.
Education, Interior and Defense concentrate the main expenditures
The sectoral allocation of credits reveals a strong concentration of personnel expenditures in several ministries.
The education sector ranks first with 8,220 billion dinars, i.e., 30% of the total wage bill.
It is followed by the Ministry of the Interior, which benefits from 4,404 billion dinars (16%), then by the Ministry of National Defense with 3,307 billion dinars (12%).
The health sector has, for its part, 3,172 billion dinars, representing also nearly 12% of wage expenditures.
Higher Education and Scientific Research receive 1.785 billion dinars, i.e. 6% of the overall envelope, while the Ministry of Finance is allocated 1.321 billion dinars, corresponding to 5%.
The sectors of Justice, Agriculture and Youth and Sports each account for about 3% of the expenditures.
Finally, the other sectors and public establishments total an envelope of 2.778 billion dinars, i.e. about 10% of the planned wage bill.
More than 32,500 posts scheduled in 2027
The budget project provides for the opening of 32 557 posts, spread across several ministries and regularization programs.
The education and higher education sectors lead with 7,388 posts, representing 22.7% of the total.
The programs dedicated to regularizing the status of workers on construction sites aged over 45 years benefit from 5 663 posts, i.e. 17.4%.
The Interior Ministry accounts for 4 736 posts, followed by the health sector with 4,000 posts and National Defense with 3,704 posts.
Detailed distribution of posts planned for 2027 :
| Sector or Programme | Posts | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Education and Higher Education | 7 388 | 22,7 % |
| Regularization of workers on construction sites over 45 | 5 663 | 17,4 % |
| Interior | 4 736 | 14,5 % |
| Health | 4 000 | 12,3 % |
| National Defense | 3 704 | 11,4 % |
| Agriculture | 1 300 | 4 % |
| Justice | 1 277 | 3,9 % |
| Youth, Sports and Culture | 1 221 | 3,8 % |
| Finances | 1 028 | 3,2 % |
| Regularization of doctorate holders | 740 | 2,3 % |
| Other sectors | 1 500 | 4,6 % |
| Total | 32 557 | 100 % |
Source: budget project data for 2027.
The project notes in particular 740 posts for completing the regularization program for doctorate holders at the Ministry of Higher Education.
This distribution shows that the budgeted posts do not correspond exclusively to new hires; part of them is intended for regularizing existing professional situations.
Wage bill: a mixed evolution since 2021
Despite the growth in personnel expenditures in nominal terms, their weight in GDP has generally declined in recent years, according to the data presented in the budget document.
In 2021, the wage bill stood at 21.182 billion dinars, i.e., 15.3% of GDP. This share rose to 15.1% in 2022, then to 14.5% in 2023.
The decline continued in 2024 and 2025, before a slight rebound is planned for 2026.
Evolution of the wage bill from 2021 to 2027:
| Year | Wage bill (billion DT) | Share of GDP |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,182 | 15,3 % |
| 2022 | 21,125 | 15,1 % |
| 2023 | 21,703 | 14,5 % |
| 2024 | 22,273 | 13,9 % |
| 2025 (results) | 23,281 | 13,6 % |
| 2026 (expected results) | 25,267 | 13,7 % |
| 2027 (project) | 27,349 | 13,7 % |
Source: data from the budget project for 2027.
Thus, between 2021 and 2027, the wage bill would rise from 21,182 to 27,349 billion dinars, while its weight in GDP would decline from 15.3% to 13.7%.
This evolution highlights the difference between the increase in wage expenditures in dinars and their relative weight in the national economy.
A balance between recruitment policy and public spending
The orientations of the 2027 budget project reflect a stated will to strengthen staffing in several public services, notably education, health, security and defense, while continuing the professional regularization programs.
The projected rise in the wage bill also occurs within the framework of scheduled remuneration increases for the 2026-2028 period.
However, the figures presented remain budget forecasts. Their realization will depend, in particular, on the adoption of the budget and the effective execution of recruitment, regularization and wage revalorization measures.
