Employment worsens for young people, with 4.3% more registered as unemployed in one year

All official measurements point to worsening employment opportunities for young people. Data from the Labour Force Survey showed that unemployment among those aged 15–29 rose by 16% year on year in the second quarter of the year, while administrative data showed that 16,537 young people were registered as unemployed at employment offices, an annual increase of 4.3%.

After a temporary improvement in the first quarter of 2025, registered youth unemployment has followed an upward trajectory (see the chart below).

Over the following three quarters, the number rose gradually, reaching more than 16,500 people in the second quarter of this year.

The increase in registered youth unemployment is partly linked to the difficulties faced by this age group in integrating into the labour market.

Although the economy has created new jobs, some of them have been concentrated in sectors where more experienced workers or employees with specific skills are required, while many young people face a lack of professional experience and qualifications suited to businesses’ needs.

In recent years, a considerable number of young people have chosen to seek employment opportunities abroad, reducing the labour supply in some sectors, but at the same time highlighting the difficulties faced by those who remain in the domestic market in finding stable employment.

In addition, some young people spend longer periods looking for work after completing their education. This is linked to the more difficult transition from education to employment, especially for those without previous experience.

Data from the Labour Force Survey showed that in the second quarter of 2026 there were 36,700 unemployed people aged 15–29, compared with 31,600 in the same period of 2025, while data from administrative sources showed that half of them had registered as unemployed—that is, they want to work but cannot find jobs.

The deterioration of the labour market for young people is occurring at a time when businesses consider the shortage of labour to be the biggest obstacle to doing business. Meanwhile, older age groups are integrating more quickly, including pensioners.

In the second quarter of 2026, around 145,000 pensioners were working, an annual increase of 10.4%. They accounted for 13% of all employed people. During the same period, the number of employed young people fell to 170,300, or 4% less. / Monitor