South Africa Unemployment Rate (ILO, % of Labor Force) (2025)
South Africa's Unemployment Rate (ILO, % of Labor Force): 32.4 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2025, +0.1pp YoY.
South Africa (2025)
32.4
% of labor force (ILO methodology)
+0.1pp YoY
YoY Change
+0.1pp
percentage points
Trend
up
Series length
35
years of data
Data
| Year | % of labor force (ILO methodology) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32.4 | +0.1pp |
| 2024 | 32.3 | +0.2pp |
| 2023 | 32.1 | -1.2pp |
| 2022 | 33.3 | -0.7pp |
| 2021 | 34 | +4.8pp |
| 2020 | 29.2 | +0.7pp |
| 2019 | 28.5 | +1.6pp |
| 2018 | 26.9 | -0.1pp |
| 2017 | 27 | +0.5pp |
| 2016 | 26.5 | +1.4pp |
| 2015 | 25.1 | +0.2pp |
| 2014 | 24.9 | +0.3pp |
| 2013 | 24.6 | -0.1pp |
| 2012 | 24.7 | +0.1pp |
| 2011 | 24.6 | -0.1pp |
| 2010 | 24.7 | +1.2pp |
| 2009 | 23.5 | +1.1pp |
| 2008 | 22.4 | +0.1pp |
| 2007 | 22.3 | unchanged |
| 2006 | 22.3 | -0.2pp |
About this Dataset
South Africa recorded 32.4 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2025. The latest change was +0.1pp. Across 1991–2025 the series ranges from 22.3 in 2007 to 34 in 2021.
This page tracks the unemployment rate (ILO methodology) in South Africa from 1990 to present. ILO-consistent unemployment allows direct cross-country comparison of labour market slack on a standardised basis.
Data sourced from World Bank via Open Data API. Values use World Bank standardised methodology intended for cross-country comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
This page tracks the unemployment rate (ILO methodology) in South Africa from 1990 to present. ILO-consistent unemployment allows direct cross-country comparison of labour market slack on a standardised basis. It is published by World Bank and updated annually.
The most recent observation covers 2025. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1991–2025 (35 observations).
The series peaked at 34 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2021 and reached its lowest recorded value of 22.3 in 2007. The latest reading of 32.4 in 2025 represents a change of +0.1pp.