Uruguay Jobless Rate Rises Slightly in May

2026-07-01 17:50 By Isabela Couto 1 min. read

Uruguay’s unemployment rate edged up to 7.6% in May 2026 from 7.5% in April, pointing to a broadly stable labor market.

By region, the jobless rate stood at 7.7% in Montevideo and 7.6% in the country’s interior.

By gender, unemployment was lower among men at 6.8%, compared with 8.5% for women.

Younger workers continued to face the highest unemployment, with the rate reaching 25.7% among those aged 14 to 24.

For workers aged 25 to 29, the rate stood at 8.4%, while it declined steadily across older age groups, falling to 3.7% for those aged 35 to 44 and 2.3% for those aged 65 and over.

Among employed workers, 8.8% were underemployed and 20.9% were not registered with social security in their main job.

Meanwhile, Uruguay’s labor force participation rate stood at 64.4%, while the employment rate reached 59.5%.



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Uruguay Jobless Rate Rises Slightly in May
Uruguay’s unemployment rate edged up to 7.6% in May 2026 from 7.5% in April, pointing to a broadly stable labor market. By region, the jobless rate stood at 7.7% in Montevideo and 7.6% in the country’s interior. By gender, unemployment was lower among men at 6.8%, compared with 8.5% for women. Younger workers continued to face the highest unemployment, with the rate reaching 25.7% among those aged 14 to 24. For workers aged 25 to 29, the rate stood at 8.4%, while it declined steadily across older age groups, falling to 3.7% for those aged 35 to 44 and 2.3% for those aged 65 and over. Among employed workers, 8.8% were underemployed and 20.9% were not registered with social security in their main job. Meanwhile, Uruguay’s labor force participation rate stood at 64.4%, while the employment rate reached 59.5%.
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