Unemployment rate in Laos
Laos: Unemployment rate was 1.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Laos, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Laos recorded 1.2% for unemployment rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 40.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Laos peaked at 3.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2010.
Laos ranks 179th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 0.7% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 2.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More work & labour data for Laos
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (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+) 66.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 70.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 61.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 68.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 72.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 64.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Laos?
- Unemployment rate in Laos was 1.2% 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2010.
- How does Laos rank for unemployment rate?
- Laos ranks 179th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos 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.