Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in France

France: Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 2,451 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
2,451
Change on year
up 5.1%
World rank
6th
of 78 countries
All-time high
3,156
in 1997
All-time low
2,064
in 2008
Years of data
31
1995–2025

Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in France, 1995–2025

01.0k2.0k3.0k1995201020251995: 2.9k1996: 3.1k1997: 3.2k1998: 3.1k1999: 3.1k2000: 2.6k2001: 2.2k2002: 2.3k2003: 2.2k2004: 2.4k2005: 2.4k2006: 2.4k2007: 2.2k2008: 2.1k2009: 2.6k2010: 2.6k2011: 2.6k2012: 2.8k2013: 2.8k2014: 3.0k2015: 3.1k2016: 3.0k2017: 2.8k2018: 2.7k2019: 2.5k2020: 2.4k2021: 2.4k2022: 2.2k2023: 2.3k2024: 2.3k2025: 2.5k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in France is 2,451, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 5.1% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in France peaked at 3,156 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 2,064, in 2008.

That places France 6th out of 78 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.

Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in France, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in France, 1995 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1995 2,940
1996 3,108 +5.7%
1997 3,156 +1.5%
1998 3,055 -3.2%
1999 3,064 +0.3%
2000 2,631 -14.1%
2001 2,231 -15.2%
2002 2,276 +2.0%
2003 2,230 -2.1%
2004 2,405 +7.9%
2005 2,432 +1.1%
2006 2,433 +0.0%
2007 2,224 -8.6%
2008 2,064 -7.2%
2009 2,573 +24.6%
2010 2,628 +2.1%
2011 2,615 -0.5%
2012 2,813 +7.6%
2013 2,837 +0.9%
2014 3,020 +6.4%
2015 3,052 +1.1%
2016 2,972 -2.6%
2017 2,784 -6.3%
2018 2,678 -3.8%
2019 2,493 -6.9%
2020 2,350 -5.7%
2021 2,386 +1.5%
2022 2,237 -6.2%
2023 2,263 +1.2%
2024 2,331 +3.0%
2025 2,451 +5.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3,065 2,940 3,156 5
2000s 2,350 2,064 2,631 10
2010s 2,789 2,493 3,052 10
2020s 2,337 2,237 2,451 6

Countries ranked near France

  1. 3 United States of America 7,314 compare
  2. 4 Türkiye 2,966 compare
  3. 5 Spain 2,608 compare
  4. 7 Colombia 2,193 compare
  5. 8 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1,756 compare
  6. 9 Germany 1,692 compare

See the full ranking of 78 places →

More work & labour data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in France?
Unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in France was 2,451 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 3,156 in 1997.
What is the lowest unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 2,064 in 2008.
How does France rank for unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
France ranks 6th out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this France data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in France. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
78 places, 1,366 data points, 1987–2025
Last refreshed

The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the International Labour Migration Statistics (ILMS) database description.