Uruguay Unemployment Holds at 7%

Uruguay’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7% in July 2026, the lowest level since December 2025. By region, Montevideo recorded higher activity, employment and unemployment rates than the rest of the country, with unemployment at 7.2% versus 6.9%. Female unemployment remained above male unemployment at 8.6% and 5.6%, respectively, while activity and employment rates were lower among women. Unemployment was highest among young people aged 14 to 24, at 21.1%, highlighting their difficulties entering the labor market. The employment rate was highest among those aged 35 to 44. The underemployment rate stood at 8.9%, unchanged from the previous month, while informality, measured by non-registration with social security, remained at 21.1%.

Uruguay's unemployment rate fell to 7% in June 2026 from 7.6% in May, marking the lowest level since December 2025 and pointing to a broadly stable labor market. Regionally, the jobless rate stood at 6.9% in Montevideo and 7.1% in the rest of the country. Unemployment remained lower among men (5.7%) than women (8.5%). Young workers aged 14–24 continued to face the weakest labor market conditions, with an unemployment rate of 21.3%. The rate declined to 9.4% among those aged 25–29, 7.5% for workers aged 30–34, and below 5% for those aged 35 and older. Among employed workers, 8.7% were underemployed, while 20.8% were not registered with the social security system in their main job. The labor force participation rate stood at 63.9%, while the employment rate was 59.5%.

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%.