The staffing of the Argentine public sector experienced a significant decrease of 12.8% between December 2023 and January 2025, resulting in the loss of 43,778 jobs, according to data provided by the Argentine Political Economy Center (CEPA). According to the CEPA report, the sectors most affected by layoffs were public companies, state enterprises, decentralized administration, and centralized and disorganized administration.
Among the entities with the largest reduction in personnel are: Correo Argentino with 4,705 fewer positions, the Customs Revenue and Control Agency (ARCA) with 1,694, Aerolíneas Argentinas with 1,558, AySA with 1,463, CONICET with 1,422, and other prominent organizations.
In percentage terms, significant cuts were observed in entities such as Human Capital Development Railway with a 99.7% reduction in its staffing, followed by the State Advertising Agency SAU (formerly Télam) with 79% less, ENARSA Patagonia S.A. with 66.7%, and other entities where the number of employees was considerably reduced.
CEPA concludes that the personnel reduction policy in the Argentine public sector is aligned with the strategy to diminish the role of the State, not only in terms of its size but also in its regulatory and management capabilities. These massive layoffs have impacted various areas, including health, culture, tourism, and other key sectors of the country's economy.
