Published on: 2026-08-12
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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August 11, 2026 Economic Development
According to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the youth unemployment rate worldwide is increasing: weak economic growth and low job creation rates are making it difficult for young people to enter the labor market. As a result, more and more young people are left outside the sphere of employment, education, or vocational training.
The report “Global Trends in Youth Employment 2026: Back to the Future” shows that in 2025, the youth unemployment rate rose to 12.4 percent. Today, there are 67 million unemployed people worldwide aged 15 to 24. The sharpest increases in youth unemployment were observed in higher-income countries.
Overall, between 2023 and 2025, the youth unemployment rate increased in eight out of 11 world subregions. The slowdown in economic growth, weak job creation rates, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological changes could lead to a new youth employment crisis.
“A generation that cannot find decent work cannot confidently build its future,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo. “When young people are barred from quality employment, countries lose talent, productivity, and social cohesion. Creating decent jobs for young people is not just a social necessity, but one of the smartest investments a country can make.”
Employment prospects in high-income countries
In North America, the youth unemployment rate has risen sharply — from 8.3 percent in 2023 to 9.8 percent in 2025. In Northern, Southern, and Western Europe, this indicator remained high at 15 percent in 2025, while employment opportunities for young people worsened in 20 out of 29 countries in this subregion.
In Eastern Europe, youth unemployment, on the contrary, decreased over two years from 12.7 percent to 11.1 percent.
The reduction in the number of jobs requiring medium-level qualifications makes it difficult for young people to build a stable career. According to the report, the number of jobs that traditionally gave young people the opportunity to start working is decreasing. This concerns, in particular, office and administrative work, positions in the service and retail sectors, as well as in manufacturing and certain technical fields.
Lack of decent jobs in developing countries
Developing countries still face the acute challenge of creating enough decent jobs to provide employment for the growing young population. Low unemployment rates conceal widespread labor market instability, as many young people cannot afford to remain unemployed and are instead forced to work in the informal sector or under precarious employment conditions.
Almost nine out of ten young workers aged 15 to 29 in low-income and lower-middle-income countries are employed in the informal sector, limiting their access to stable incomes and social protection. The report notes that Sub-Saharan Africa is a subregion facing particularly severe demographic challenges amid a shortage of decent jobs.
The highest youth unemployment rates in the world are still observed in the Arab states and North Africa (26.2 percent and 22.6 percent respectively).
Technology is changing the employment sector
According to the report, technological changes, including advances in artificial intelligence, are increasingly impacting the capabilities of young workers.
It is estimated that 6.1 percent of jobs held by young people aged 15 to 29 are in professions highly susceptible to changes related to AI. At the same time, demand continues to grow for certain science-intensive technical professions in fields such as science, healthcare, and engineering, highlighting the importance of ensuring youth have access to skills that meet the evolving needs of the labor market.
“There is growing hype around artificial intelligence,” noted Sukti Dasgupta, Director of the ILO’s Employment, Skills and Sustainable Enterprise Department. “Although the direct impact on jobs remains unclear, we must not assume there are no grounds for concern and underestimate the risks. Technological progress, including the development of artificial intelligence, must work for the benefit of young people, not against them.”
The report contains a call for intensified measures aimed at helping young people navigate an increasingly uncertain labor market. The authors of the document are convinced that the task is not only to create more jobs for young people but also to ensure that these jobs provide security, dignity, and opportunities for a successful transition into adulthood.
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