Latvia’s Unemployment Falls to 6.7%

Latvia’s unemployment rate fell to 6.7% in the third quarter of 2026 from 7.0% in the previous quarter, also down from 6.9% in the same period last year. The number of unemployed persons decreased by 1.8 thousand quarter-on-quarter to 64.4 thousand. Among men, the unemployment rate declined to 7.8% from 8.1%, with 37.0 thousand unemployed, while the rate for women fell to 5.7% from 5.9%, with the number of unemployed women totaling 27.4 thousand. Meanwhile, the youth unemployment rate (ages 15–24) rose to 15.8%, representing 13.1 thousand people, or 20.3% of the total unemployed population. At the same time, 15.1% of the population aged 20–64, equivalent to 155.8 thousand people, remained economically inactive, down by 3.2 thousand from the corresponding period a year earlier. Meanwhile, total employment increased by 11.5 thousand to 897 thousand, bringing the employment rate among people aged 15–74 to 66.1%, up 1.0 percentage points from the second quarter.

Latvia’s unemployment rate edged down to 7.0% in the second quarter of 2026 from 7.1% in the previous quarter, but was up from 6.7% in the same period last year. The number of unemployed persons decreased by 0.2 thousand quarter-on-quarter to 66.2 thousand. The unemployment rate for men rose to 8.1% from 7.2%, with the number of unemployed men at 37.8 thousand, while the rate for women fell to 5.9% from 7.0%, with unemployed women totaling 28.4 thousand. The youth unemployment rate (ages 15–24) rose to 15.0%, equivalent to 11.1 thousand people or 16.7% of the total unemployed population. At the same time, 15.6% of the population aged 20–64, or 161.6 thousand people, remained economically inactive, down by 2.3 thousand from the corresponding period a year earlier. Meanwhile, total employment rose by 14.3 thousand to 885.5 thousand, bringing the employment rate to 65.1%, up 1.3 percentage points from the first quarter.

Latvia’s unemployment rate rose to 7.1% in the first quarter of 2026 from 6.7% in the previous quarter, but was down from 7.4% in the same period last year. This marked the highest reading since the first quarter of 2025, as the number of unemployed persons increased by 2.6 thousand quarter-on-quarter to 66.4 thousand. The jobless rate for men fell to 7.2% from 7.6%, with the number of unemployed men at 32.9 thousand, while the rate for women rose to 7% from 5.9%, with unemployed women totaling 33.4 thousand. Meanwhile, total employment dropped by 11.6 thousand to 871.2 thousand, bringing the employment rate to 63.8%, down 1 percentage point from the fourth quarter. The youth unemployment rate (ages 15–24) fell to 9.4%, equivalent to 6.2 thousand people, decreasing by 4.1 percentage points from Q4. At the same time, 16.6% of the population aged 20–64, or 173.6 thousand people, remained economically inactive, down by 5.6 thousand from the corresponding period a year earlier.