LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Ireland
Ireland: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 8.35 in 2025. ▼ Falling
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Ireland, 2014–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Ireland is 8.35, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.1% on the previous year and down 24.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Ireland peaked at 13.25 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 7.08, in 2022.
Ireland ranks 34th of 63 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 13.25 | — |
| 2015 | 11.01 | -16.9% |
| 2016 | 9.45 | -14.2% |
| 2017 | 9.33 | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 10.02 | +7.4% |
| 2019 | 8.92 | -11.0% |
| 2020 | 10.89 | +22.1% |
| 2021 | 10.99 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 7.08 | -35.6% |
| 2023 | 7.54 | +6.6% |
| 2024 | 8.8 | +16.7% |
| 2025 | 8.35 | -5.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 8.35 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.94, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 8.35 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.47, 99% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 10.33 | 8.92 | 13.25 | 6 |
| 2020s | 8.94 | 7.08 | 10.99 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Ireland?
- Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Ireland was 8.35 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 13.25 in 2014.
- What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.08 in 2022.
- How does Ireland rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
- Ireland ranks 34th out of 63 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series includes only countries for which the 19th ICLS definitions are applied. LU3 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment or the potential labour force. For more information, refer to the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database description.