Unemployment rate in France
France: Unemployment rate was 7.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in France, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in France stood at 7.5%.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in France peaked at 12.6% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 7.3%, in 2022.
That places France 57th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.6% | 9.1% | 12.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.6% | 8.4% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.6% | 7.3% | 8.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
More work & labour data for France
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 59.5% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 51.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 74.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 71.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in France?
- Unemployment rate in France was 7.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 12.6% in 1994.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.3% in 2022.
- How does France rank for unemployment rate?
- France ranks 57th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.