Colombia’s unemployment rate fell to 8.8% in March 2026, down from 9.2% in February. Job gains were driven mainly by public administration and defense, education and health services, financial and insurance activities, and utilities, including electricity, gas, water, and waste management. In the country’s 13 main cities and metropolitan areas, the unemployment rate stood at 9.4%, slightly higher than the 9.3% recorded in the same month of 2025. source: Dane, Colombia

Unemployment Rate in Colombia decreased to 8.80 percent in March from 9.20 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Colombia averaged 11.50 percent from 2001 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 21.01 percent in May of 2020 and a record low of 7.00 percent in November of 2025. This page provides the latest reported value for - Colombia Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Colombia Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Colombia decreased to 8.80 percent in March from 9.20 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Colombia is expected to be 8.50 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Colombia Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 8.40 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-31 03:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Feb 9.2% 10.9% 9.5%
2026-04-30 03:05 PM
Unemployment Rate
Mar 8.8% 9.2% 8.6%
2026-05-29 03:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 8.8%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employment Rate 59.31 58.74 percent Mar 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate 65.00 64.70 percent Mar 2026
Unemployed Persons 2347.82 2451.46 Thousand Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 8.80 9.20 percent Mar 2026


Colombia Unemployment Rate
In Colombia, 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
8.80 9.20 21.01 7.00 2001 - 2026 percent Monthly

News Stream
Colombia Jobless Rate Falls in March
Colombia’s unemployment rate fell to 8.8% in March 2026, down from 9.2% in February. Job gains were driven mainly by public administration and defense, education and health services, financial and insurance activities, and utilities, including electricity, gas, water, and waste management. In the country’s 13 main cities and metropolitan areas, the unemployment rate stood at 9.4%, slightly higher than the 9.3% recorded in the same month of 2025.
2026-04-30
Colombia's Unemployment Falls to 9.2% in February
Colombia's unemployment rate fell to 9.2% in February 2026, down from 10.9% in January. Among women, unemployment stood at 9.0%, down 0.3 percentage points year-over-year. Among men, unemployment was 7.8%, up 0.1 percentage point. Over 12 months, total employed persons rose 1.0%, driven entirely by women up 2.4%, while men showed no change. By economic sector, growth was led by healthcare up 8.9%, professional activities up 14.8%, and accommodation and food services up 9.4%.
2026-03-31
Colombia’s Jobless Rate Rises in January
Colombia’s unemployment rate rose to 10.9% in January 2026, up from 8.0% in December, with a sharp gender gap of 8.7% for men and 13.8% for women, a 5.2 p.p. difference. This marks the highest jobless rate since January 2025. In the 13 major cities and metropolitan areas, unemployment stood at 10.6%. Public administration, defense, education, and health services drove job growth, adding 172,000 employed individuals in January.
2026-02-27