Labour & Employment

Youth Unemployment Rate by Country — Global Comparison

Youth unemployment rates (ages 15–24) for 12 major economies from 2005 to 2024, sourced from World Bank ILO modelled estimates. Reveals the divergent impact of the 2020 pandemic shock and structural labour-market differences across economies.

Updated May 6, 2026 Annual World Bank — ILO Modelled Estimates (SL.UEM.1524.ZS)

Global (2024)

~13%

% of labour force 15–24

ILO global estimate

Spain (2024)

~27%

% of labour force 15–24

Down from 56% peak in 2013

Germany (2024)

~6.5%

% of labour force 15–24

Second lowest in G7 after Japan

India (2024)

~16%

% of labour force 15–24

Structural unemployment challenge

Data

Year	US	UK	Germany	France	Japan	China	India	Brazil	S. Korea	Australia	Mexico	Turkey
2024	8.9	14.3	6.5	18.7	3.9	15	15.7	15.7	6.4	9.4	5.8	16.4
2023	8	11.9	5.9	17.2	4.1	15.6	15.6	17.9	5.4	8.4	5.8	17.5
2022	8.1	10.6	6	17.3	4.4	14.7	17.7	20.7	6.6	8.5	6.5	19.5
2021	9.7	12.9	7	18.9	4.7	12.4	20.8	28.3	8.1	11.1	7.6	22.7
2020	14.9	13.4	7.9	21.5	4.7	12.7	24.7	30.3	10.1	14.1	8.1	25.1
2019	8.4	10.7	6.1	20.7	3.9	10.7	22.9	27.1	9.8	11.5	7.2	25.2
2018	8.6	11.6	6.6	22	3.7	9.7	26	28	10.1	11.9	6.8	20.2
2017	9.2	12.5	7.2	23.5	4.6	10.4	25.6	28.6	9.8	12.6	6.8	20.5
2016	10.4	13.2	7.5	26	5.1	10.6	25.2	26.6	10.1	12.6	7.6	19.5
2015	11.6	15.2	7.7	26.1	5.5	10.7	25	19.5	9.9	13.1	8.5	18.5
2014	13.4	17.5	8.2	25.7	6.3	10.5	24.7	15.5	8.6	13.3	9.4	17.8
2013	15.6	20.9	8.3	26.4	6.8	10.3	24.5	15.7	8.9	12.2	9.4	16.9
2012	16.2	22.1	8.6	25.8	8.2	10.2	24.1	15.9	7.7	11.7	9.4	15.7
2011	17.3	21.7	9.1	24.1	8.3	10	23.6	16.9	8.3	11.4	9.8	16.7
2010	18.4	20.3	10.5	24.7	9.5	9.8	23.3	18.2	8.5	11.5	9.7	19.7
2009	17.5	19.5	11.9	25	9.2	10.2	22.9	19.8	9.2	11.5	10	22.8
2008	12.8	15.4		20.2	7.3	9.8	22.4	17.6	8.7	8.8	7.6
2007	10.5	14.6		20.8	7.9	9.2	21.9	18.8	7.9	9.4	7.1
2006	10.4	14.2		23.5	8.3	9.3	21.5	19.9	8.9	10	7
2005	11.2	13.1		22.3	8.7	9.5	21.1	21.4	9.3	10.6	6.9

About this Analysis

This page tracks the share of 15–24 year-olds in the labour force who are unemployed, across 12 major economies, using ILO modelled estimates from the World Bank (SL.UEM.1524.ZS). The chart shows the group average. The table shows each economy separately from 2005 to 2024.

Youth unemployment rates are typically 2–3× higher than adult rates in the same economy, and the gap widens sharply in recessions. The structural divergence within this group is large: Germany has consistently kept youth unemployment below 6% through its apprenticeship system, while France, Italy, and emerging economies often run 20–30%. Spain hit 56% in 2013 at the depth of the eurozone crisis. Those extremes show how much labour market design — not just economic growth — determines outcomes for young workers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Youth unemployment is structurally higher than adult unemployment in most economies for three main reasons: young workers lack experience and face higher screening costs for employers; employment protection legislation in many countries makes it costly to dismiss workers, leading firms to avoid hiring uncertain young workers on permanent contracts; and youth are more concentrated in cyclically sensitive sectors (hospitality, retail) that are first to cut headcount in downturns. The gap between youth and adult unemployment typically narrows in tight labour markets.

Young workers were disproportionately affected by the 2020 recession because they were more concentrated in service-sector jobs (hospitality, retail, tourism) that faced the severest lockdown restrictions, and because firms typically reduce hiring of new entrants before laying off tenured workers. However, the labour-market recovery in most advanced economies was unusually fast by 2021–2022, with youth unemployment returning to or below pre-pandemic levels by 2023 in the US, UK, and Germany.

Evidence from OECD economies points to three most effective interventions: apprenticeship systems that provide work experience alongside education (Germany's dual system is the benchmark); active labour-market programmes with strong employer incentives for hiring young workers; and reducing labour market duality between protected permanent workers and precarious youth contracts. Economies with strong apprenticeship systems consistently show lower youth unemployment rates than those relying solely on academic educational pathways.

Data

About this Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions

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