Uruguay Jobless Rate Rises in August

Uruguay’s unemployment rate edged up to 7.2% in August 2026 from 7.0% in July, marking the first increase since May. By region, Montevideo recorded a higher unemployment rate than the rest of the country, at 7.3% versus 7.1%. The gap between men and women persisted, with female unemployment at 8.8%, compared with 5.7% for men. Unemployment varied significantly by age, reaching 23.4% among young people aged 14 to 24, the group facing the greatest difficulties entering the labor market. This pattern was similar to that observed in July. Regarding employment quality, both underemployment (9.1%) and the lack of social security registration (20.8%) remained at levels similar to those recorded in the previous month.

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%.