LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala
Guatemala: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 16.32 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala, 2010–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala stood at 16.32. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.0% on the previous year and up 494.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala peaked at 16.32 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.42, in 2019.
That places Guatemala 13th out of 89 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.25 | — |
| 2011 | 4.77 | +12.3% |
| 2012 | 3.27 | -31.4% |
| 2013 | 3.54 | +8.0% |
| 2014 | 3.14 | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 2.74 | -12.7% |
| 2016 | 2.88 | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 2.62 | -8.8% |
| 2018 | 2.55 | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 2.42 | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 2.51 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 8.04 | +220.2% |
| 2024 | 15.25 | +89.6% |
| 2025 | 16.32 | +7.0% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 16.32 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.28, 1.8× the median. (26 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 16.32 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9.19, 1.8× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +220.2% | 2.51 | 8.04 |
| 2024 | +89.6% | 8.04 | 15.25 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.22 | 2.42 | 4.77 | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.53 | 2.51 | 16.32 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More work & labour data for Guatemala
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.3404 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.3121 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.3683 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6261 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.73 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 18,121 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,847 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 13,041 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 12,871 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 25,912 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala?
- Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Guatemala was 16.32 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 16.32 in 2025.
- What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.42 in 2019.
- How does Guatemala rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
- Guatemala ranks 13th out of 89 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 494.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Guatemala data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 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 is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. LU3 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment or the potential labour force. Data disaggregated by level of education are provided on the highest level of education completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCED. For more information, refer to the Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI) database description.