© ILO/N. Viet Thanh From 2023 to 2025, youth unemployment rates increased in eight of the world’s 11 subregions. New UN report: youth unemployment is rising globally Economic Development
Youth unemployment is rising globally as weak economic growth and low job creation rates make it difficult for young people to enter the labor market, according to a new report from the International Labor Organization (ILO). As a result, more and more young people find themselves excluded from employment, education or training.
The report, Global Youth Employment Trends 2026: Back to the Future, shows that the youth unemployment rate rose to 12.4 percent in 2025. Today there are 67 million unemployed people aged 15 to 24 in the world. The sharpest increases in youth unemployment rates were observed in higher-income countries.
Overall, youth unemployment rates rose in eight of the world’s 11 subregions between 2023 and 2025. Slowing economic growth, weak job creation, geopolitical tensions and rapid technological change could lead to a new youth employment crisis.
“A generation that cannot find decent work cannot build its future with confidence,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo. – When young people are denied access to quality employment, countries lose talent, productivity and social cohesion. Creating decent jobs for youth is not just a social necessity, but one of the smartest investments a country can make.”
Job 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, the rate remained high at 15 percent in 2025, with job opportunities for young people deteriorating in 20 of the subregion’s 29 countries. In Eastern Europe, by contrast, youth unemployment fell by 1.6 over two years percent.
The decline in the number of middle-skill jobs is making it harder for young people to build stable careers. According to the report, the number of jobs that traditionally provided young people with the opportunity to enter the workforce is declining. These include, in particular, office and administrative work, positions in the service and trade sectors, as well as in manufacturing and some technical fields.
Lack of decent jobs in developing countries
In developing countries, the challenge remains to create enough decent jobs to employ a growing young population. Low unemployment rates mask widespread labor market instability, as many young people cannot afford to remain unemployed and are instead forced to work in the informal sector or in precarious employment.
Almost nine out of ten young workers aged 15 to 29 in low- 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 due to a lack of decent jobs. respectively).
Technology is changing employment
Technological changes, including advances in artificial intelligence, are increasingly impacting opportunities for young workers, according to the report.
An estimated 6.1 percent of jobs held by young people aged 15 to 29 are in occupations highly susceptible to AI-related changes. At the same time, demand for some knowledge-intensive technical jobs in fields such as science, health and engineering continues to grow, highlighting the importance of ensuring youth have access to skills that match the changing needs of the labor market.
“There is growing excitement around artificial intelligence,” said Sukti Dasgupta, Director of the ILO’s Department of Employment, Skills and Sustainable Enterprise. “While the direct impact on jobs remains unclear, we should not assume there is no cause for concern and underestimate the risks. Technological progress, including the development of artificial intelligence, must work for young people, not against them.”
The report calls for greater action to help young people navigate an increasingly uncertain world of work. The authors of the document believe that the challenge is not only to create more jobs for young people, but also to ensure that they provide security, dignity and opportunities for a successful transition to adulthood.