Uruguay’s unemployment rate rose to 7.8% in March 2026 from 7.4% in February, marking the highest level since May 2025. Joblessness was slightly higher in Montevideo at 8.0% than in the rest of the country at 7.6%. By gender, the unemployment rate stood at 9.3% for women and 6.4% for men, while youth unemployment remained elevated at 25.9% and was lowest among workers aged 65 and over at 2.9%. Among those employed, 9.4% were underemployed and 22% were not registered with social security in their main job. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate edged down to 64.3% from 64.6%, and the employment rate declined to 59.3% from 59.8% in February. source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Uruguay

Unemployment Rate in Uruguay increased to 7.80 percent in March from 7.40 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Uruguay averaged 7.98 percent from 2006 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 13.40 percent in January of 2006 and a record low of 5.40 percent in December of 2010. This page provides - Uruguay Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Uruguay Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Uruguay increased to 7.80 percent in March from 7.40 percent in February of 2026. Unemployment Rate in Uruguay is expected to be 7.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Uruguay Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 7.60 percent in 2027 and 8.00 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-03-27 07:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Feb 7.4% 7.4% 7.3%
2026-05-05 05:00 PM
Unemployment Rate
Mar 7.8% 7.4% 7.7%
2026-06-03 05:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Apr 7.8%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Employment Rate 59.30 59.80 percent Mar 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate 64.30 64.60 percent Mar 2026
Population 3.59 3.57 million Dec 2025
Unemployment Rate 7.80 7.40 percent Mar 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 517.95 517.52 points Mar 2026


Uruguay Unemployment Rate
In Uruguay, 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
7.80 7.40 13.40 5.40 2006 - 2026 percent Monthly
NSA

News Stream
Uruguay Jobless Rate Rises in March
Uruguay’s unemployment rate rose to 7.8% in March 2026 from 7.4% in February, marking the highest level since May 2025. Joblessness was slightly higher in Montevideo at 8.0% than in the rest of the country at 7.6%. By gender, the unemployment rate stood at 9.3% for women and 6.4% for men, while youth unemployment remained elevated at 25.9% and was lowest among workers aged 65 and over at 2.9%. Among those employed, 9.4% were underemployed and 22% were not registered with social security in their main job. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate edged down to 64.3% from 64.6%, and the employment rate declined to 59.3% from 59.8% in February.
2026-05-05
Uruguay Unemployment Holds at 7.4%
Uruguay's unemployment remained unchanged at 7.4% in February 2026, maintaining the highest jobless rate since May 2025. Joblessness was slightly higher in Montevideo at 7.7% than in the rest of the country at 7.2%. By gender, unemployment stood at 6.2% for men and 8.8% for women. Youth unemployment remained elevated at 23.7% among those aged 14 to 24, while it was lowest among workers aged 65 and over at 2.1%. Among the employed, 8.8% were underemployed, and 22% were not registered with social security in their main job. The labor force participation rate remained at 64.6%, and the employment rate held steady at 59.8%.
2026-03-27
Uruguay’s Unemployment Rises in January 2026
Uruguay’s unemployment rate rose to 7.4% in January 2026, up from 7.0% in December. This marks the highest jobless rate since May 2025. Joblessness remained slightly lower in Montevideo (7.3%) than in the rest of the country (7.5%). By gender, unemployment stood at 5.9% for men and 9.2% for women. By age, unemployment remained elevated at 25.6% among those aged 14–24, while it was lowest among workers aged 65 and over, at 3%. Among the employed, 8.2% were underemployed, and 20% were not registered with social security in their main job. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate edged up to 64.6%, while the employment rate dipped slightly to 59.8%.
2026-03-03