Youth Unemployment Rate by Country — 2025 World Rankings

Youth unemployment rate measures the percentage of the labor force aged 15–24 that is actively seeking work but unable to find it. It is typically two to three times higher than the overall unemployment rate, reflecting the difficulty young people face entering the labor market for the first time. The data comes from the International Labour Organization (ILO) via the World Bank.

Youth unemployment is one of the most politically consequential economic indicators. Countries with very high rates — above 25% — face risks of social instability, brain drain (as educated youth emigrate for opportunities), and long-term scarring effects (research shows that entering the job market during a recession permanently reduces lifetime earnings). Southern Europe (Spain, Greece, Italy) and North Africa (Tunisia, Egypt) have among the highest rates globally, often exceeding 30%.

The causes of youth unemployment are structural, not just cyclical. Skills mismatches — where education systems produce graduates whose qualifications don't match employer needs — are a pervasive problem. Rigid labor markets with strong employment protections for existing workers can create "insider-outsider" dynamics where employers are reluctant to hire young workers. Dual labor markets, where temporary contracts offer lower pay and less security, disproportionately affect youth. Countries that have successfully reduced youth unemployment (Germany with its apprenticeship system, Japan with employer-coordinated hiring) typically have strong institutional bridges between education and employment.