Chile's unemployment rate rose to 9.4% in the March–May 2026 period, up from 8.9% a year earlier and above market expectations of 9.1%. It was the highest reading since the quarter ending June 2021, as the labor force grew faster than employment. The number of unemployed reached 981 thousand, the highest since the quarter ending October 2020. The labor force participation rate edged up to 62.4%, with the labor force increasing 1.3% to 10.4 million. Employment rose 0.8% to 9.42 million, lifting the employment rate to 56.5%. Job growth was led by manufacturing (5.2%), health activities (6.0%), and professional, scientific and technical activities (11.6%). source: National Institute of Statistics, Chile

Unemployment Rate in Chile increased to 9.40 percent in May from 9.10 percent in April of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Chile averaged 8.21 percent from 1986 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 13.50 percent in February of 1986 and a record low of 5.10 percent in February of 1998. This page provides the latest reported value for - Chile Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Chile Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on July of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Chile increased to 9.40 percent in May from 9.10 percent in April of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Chile is expected to be 8.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Chile Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 8.90 percent in 2027 and 9.00 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-29 01:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 9.1% 8.9% 8.9% 8.9%
2026-06-30 01:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
May 9.4% 9.1% 9.1% 9.1%
2026-07-31 01:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Jun 9.4% 8.8%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 9416.37 9427.61 Thousand May 2026
Employment Rate 56.50 56.70 percent May 2026
Population 20.20 20.09 Million Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 981.32 944.79 Thousand May 2026
Unemployment Rate 9.40 9.10 percent May 2026
Wages 7459.00 7328.00 CLP/Hour May 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 125.13 120.42 points May 2026


Chile Unemployment Rate
In Chile, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
9.40 9.10 13.50 5.10 1986 - 2026 percent Monthly

News Stream
Chile Unemployment Rate Edges Up
Chile's unemployment rate rose to 9.4% in the March–May 2026 period, up from 8.9% a year earlier and above market expectations of 9.1%. It was the highest reading since the quarter ending June 2021, as the labor force grew faster than employment. The number of unemployed reached 981 thousand, the highest since the quarter ending October 2020. The labor force participation rate edged up to 62.4%, with the labor force increasing 1.3% to 10.4 million. Employment rose 0.8% to 9.42 million, lifting the employment rate to 56.5%. Job growth was led by manufacturing (5.2%), health activities (6.0%), and professional, scientific and technical activities (11.6%).
2026-06-30
Chile Jobless Rate Hits 2021-Peak
Chile’s unemployment rate climbed to 9.1% in the February-April 2026 quarter, up 0.3 percentage points from the previous year and above expectations of 8.9%. This was the highest reading since the quarter ended June 2021, as a 1.0% increase in the labor force outpaced the 0.7% rise in employment. Unemployment increased 4.1%, reflecting higher numbers of both previously employed individuals (+3.3%) and first-time job seekers (+11.6%). Job creation was concentrated in health (5.9%), manufacturing (4.1%) and professional activities (10.5%).
2026-05-29
Chile's Unemployment Rate Rises to 8.9%
Chile's unemployment rate rose to 8.9% for the January-March 2026 quarter, up from 8.3% in the prior quarter. On an annual basis, unemployed persons increased by 3.3%, driven by those who were unemployed (2.0%) and first-time job seekers (14.5%). Unemployment among women stood at 10.0%, while the rate among men reached 8.1%. In the Metropolitan Region, the unemployment rate for the January-March 2026 quarter hit 9.6%. The combined unemployment and potential labor force rate, which includes the unemployed plus people outside the labor force who are available to work or seeking employment, reached 17.4%.
2026-04-29