Introducing the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey 2018

This paper introduces the 2018 wave of the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS), previously fielded in 1998, 2006, and 2012. These publicly-available longitudinal data are nationally representative, tracking both households and individuals over two decades. In this paper, we describe key characteristics of the 2018 wave, including sampling, fielding, and questionnaire design. We examine patterns of attrition and present the construction of weights designed to correct for attrition, as well as to ensure the sample remains nationally representative. We compare the ELMPS data to other Egyptian data sources, namely the 2017 Census and various rounds of the Labor Force Survey. The data provide important new insights into Egypt’s labor market, economy, and society.