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%. source: National Institute of Statistics, Chile

Unemployment Rate in Chile increased to 8.90 percent in March from 8.30 percent in February 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 May of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Chile increased to 8.90 percent in March from 8.30 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Chile is expected to be 8.10 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 8.00 percent in 2027 and 7.50 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-30 12:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Feb 8.3% 8.3% 8.5% 8.5%
2026-04-29 01:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Mar 8.9% 8.3% 8.6% 8.5%
2026-05-29 01:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 8.9%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 9434.19 9491.63 Thousand Mar 2026
Employment Rate 56.70 57.10 percent Mar 2026
Population 20.20 20.09 Million Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 925.11 862.51 Thousand Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 8.90 8.30 percent Mar 2026
Wages 7257.00 7235.20 CLP/Hour Mar 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 119.91 119.32 points Mar 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
8.90 8.30 13.50 5.10 1986 - 2026 percent Monthly

News Stream
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
Chile's Unemployment Holds at 8.3% in February
Chile's unemployment rate stood at 8.3% for the December 2025–February 2026 quarter, unchanged from the prior quarter. Women's unemployment was 9.0% while men's was 7.8%. In the Metropolitan Region, unemployment reached 8.8%. The jobless rate declined 0.1 percentage points year-over-year, driven by a 1.0% rise in the labor force slightly below the 1.0% growth in employed persons. The number of unemployed rose 0.3%, led entirely by first-time job seekers up 11.9%, as job losses fell 1.1%. Over 12 months, total employed persons rose 1.0%, driven entirely by women up 2.4%, while men showed no change. By sector, growth was led by healthcare activities up 8.9% and professional activities and accommodation and food services up 9.4%. Labor force participation and employment rates held steady at 62.3% and 57.1%, respectively, compared to the same period a year earlier.
2026-03-30
Chile’s Unemployment Rises in January 2026
Chile’s unemployment rate rose to 8.3% in the November 2025–January 2026 quarter, up from 8.0% in the prior quarter, a 0.3 percentage point increase year-on-year. This rise was driven by a 1.4% expansion in the labor force, outpacing the 1.2% growth in employment. The number of unemployed individuals increased 4.8%, led by job losers (3.0%) and first-time job seekers (18.4%). By gender, the unemployment rate for men rose to 8.0%, up 0.8 percentage points, while for women it eased to 8.7%, down 0.4 percentage points. In the Metropolitan Region, unemployment reached 9.0% during the same period, up 0.3 percentage points, fueled by a 0.9% rise in the labor force.
2026-02-27