Iceland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate eased to 5.0% in June 2026 from 5.6% in May, remaining at its lowest level since December 2025. The number of unemployed people fell by 1,600 month-on-month to 11,500. By gender, the unemployment rate for men declined sharply to 3.3% from 6.3% in May, while the rate for women rose to 7.1% from 4.9%. Youth unemployment, covering job seekers aged 16 to 24, decreased to 12.0% from 13.0% in the previous month. Meanwhile, the employment rate edged down to 74.4%, with the number of employed people falling by 2,300 to 218,100. The labor force participation rate also declined to 78.4% from 80.8%. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, Iceland’s unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in June from 8.3% in May. source: Statistics Iceland

Unemployment Rate in Iceland decreased to 5 percent in June from 5.60 percent in May of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Iceland averaged 2.87 percent from 1970 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 10.40 percent in June of 2009 and a record low of 0.10 percent in August of 1972. This page provides the latest reported value for - Iceland Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Iceland Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on July of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Iceland decreased to 5 percent in June from 5.60 percent in May of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Iceland is expected to be 5.70 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Iceland Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 5.00 percent in 2027 and 4.20 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-06-24 09:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
May 5.6% 5.6% 6.0%
2026-07-22 09:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Jun 5.0% 5.6% 5.50%
2026-08-26 09:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Jul 5.0%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employed Persons 218100.00 220400.00 Jun 2026
Employment Rate 74.40 76.30 percent Jun 2026
Job Vacancies 219.00 272.00 Jun 2026
Job Vacancy Rate 1.30 2.00 percent Dec 2025
Labor Force Participation Rate 78.40 80.80 percent Jun 2026
Unemployed Persons 11500.00 13100.00 Jun 2026
Unemployment Rate 5.00 5.60 percent Jun 2026
Real Wage Growth 0.50 0.80 percent Jun 2026
Wages 982000.00 912000.00 ISK/Month Dec 2025
Youth Unemployment Rate 12.00 13.00 percent Jun 2026


Iceland Unemployment Rate
In Iceland, 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
5.00 5.60 10.40 0.10 1970 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
Iceland Jobless Rate Eases to 6-Month Low
Iceland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate eased to 5.0% in June 2026 from 5.6% in May, remaining at its lowest level since December 2025. The number of unemployed people fell by 1,600 month-on-month to 11,500. By gender, the unemployment rate for men declined sharply to 3.3% from 6.3% in May, while the rate for women rose to 7.1% from 4.9%. Youth unemployment, covering job seekers aged 16 to 24, decreased to 12.0% from 13.0% in the previous month. Meanwhile, the employment rate edged down to 74.4%, with the number of employed people falling by 2,300 to 218,100. The labor force participation rate also declined to 78.4% from 80.8%. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, Iceland’s unemployment rate fell to 3.9% in June from 8.3% in May.
2026-07-22
Iceland Jobless Rate Stood at 5.6% in May
Iceland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 5.6% in May 2026, unchanged from the previous month and remaining at its lowest level since December 2025. The number of unemployed persons held steady at 13,100. By gender, the jobless rate for men rose to 6.2% from 5.7% in April, while the rate for women eased to 4.9% from 5.5%. The youth unemployment rate, which measures job seekers aged 16 to 24, edged up to 13.0% from 12.9% in the previous month. Meanwhile, the employment rate increased to 76.5% from 75.5%, as the number of employed persons rose by 1,800 to a five-month high of 222,300. The labor force participation rate climbed to 81.1% from 80.0%. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the jobless rate jumped to an over five-year high of 8.3% in May from 6.6% in April.
2026-06-24
Iceland Jobless Rate Falls to 4-Month Low
Iceland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 5.8% in April 2026 from 6.3% in the previous month, marking the lowest level since December 2025. The number of unemployed persons declined by 1,200 from a month earlier to 13,500. By gender, the jobless rate for men slipped to 5.9% from 6.2% in March, while the rate for women eased to 5.7% from 6.4%. The youth unemployment rate, which measures job seekers aged 16 to 24, retreated to 12.7% from a near five-year high of 17.0% in the previous month. Meanwhile, the employment rate remained unchanged at 75.4%, as the number of employed persons increased by 300 to 220,400. The labor force participation rate edged down to 80.0% from 80.5%. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the jobless rate inched up to 6.6% in April from 6.4% in March.
2026-05-27