Unemployment in France
France: Unemployment was 3,359 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment in France, 2004–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment in France is 3,359, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 4.4% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment in France peaked at 3,603 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2,350, in 2020.
France ranks 5th of 58 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Unemployment in France, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 3,011 | — |
| 2005 | 2,934 | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 2,786 | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 2,516 | -9.7% |
| 2008 | 2,525 | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 2,958 | +17.2% |
| 2010 | 3,105 | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 2,849 | -8.2% |
| 2012 | 3,005 | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 3,308 | +10.1% |
| 2014 | 3,290 | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 3,055 | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 2,975 | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 3,394 | +14.1% |
| 2018 | 3,050 | -10.2% |
| 2019 | 3,000 | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 2,350 | -21.7% |
| 2021 | 3,603 | +53.3% |
| 2022 | 3,370 | -6.5% |
| 2023 | 3,414 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 3,219 | -5.7% |
| 2025 | 3,359 | +4.4% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 3,359 is above the median for high income countries, which is 266.61, 12.6× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- France's 3,359 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 266.61, 12.6× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment in France 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +53.3% | 2,350 | 3,603 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,788 | 2,516 | 3,011 | 6 |
| 2010s | 3,103 | 2,849 | 3,394 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,219 | 2,350 | 3,603 | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More work & labour data for France
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.028 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0063 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.62 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.3323 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 62,374 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 8,235 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 35,191 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 33,294 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 68,485 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment in France?
- Unemployment in France was 3,359 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 3,603 in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,350 in 2020.
- How does France rank for unemployment?
- France ranks 5th out of 58 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 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. 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. The term disability, as defined in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), is used as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. For measurement purposes, a person with disability is defined as a person who is limited in the kind or amount of activities that he or she can do because of ongoing difficulties due to a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem. For more information, refer to the Disability Labour Market Indicators (DLMI) database description.