LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Panama
Panama: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 9.19 in 2025. ▲ Rising
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Panama, 2006–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Panama recorded 9.19 for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.5% on the previous year and up 85.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Panama peaked at 11.17 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.01, in 2012.
Panama ranks 37th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Panama, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 8.49 | — |
| 2007 | 6.28 | -26.0% |
| 2008 | 6.09 | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 6.46 | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 6.41 | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 4.42 | -31.0% |
| 2012 | 4.01 | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 4.04 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 4.8 | +18.6% |
| 2015 | 4.97 | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 5.4 | +8.8% |
| 2017 | 6.03 | +11.6% |
| 2018 | 5.88 | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 7.01 | +19.3% |
| 2021 | 11.17 | +59.2% |
| 2022 | 8.53 | -23.6% |
| 2023 | 7.36 | -13.7% |
| 2024 | 9.43 | +28.1% |
| 2025 | 9.19 | -2.5% |
Panama compared with similar countries
- Panama's 9.19 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7.45, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Panama's 9.19 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9.19, 1.0× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.83 | 6.09 | 8.49 | 4 |
| 2010s | 5.3 | 4.01 | 7.01 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.13 | 7.36 | 11.17 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More work & labour data for Panama
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.192 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1956 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1888 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,652 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,175 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,950 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,955 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,905 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Panama?
- Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Panama was 9.19 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 11.17 in 2021.
- What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.01 in 2012.
- How does Panama rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
- Panama ranks 37th out of 89 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 85.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama 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 — 19 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.