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.
Unemployment rate in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.5% | — |
| 1992 | 2.7% | +8.5% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 2.6% | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 2.5% | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 2.2% | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | -8.0% |
| 2002 | 1.8% | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -9.9% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | -11.2% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -10.9% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | -11.6% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | -11.5% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -15.2% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | +35.6% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +25.8% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +21.6% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | +18.0% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | +15.8% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | +31.3% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | +24.1% |
| 2018 | 2.9% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | -12.6% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -7.2% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | -11.5% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | -41.9% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | +1.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 1.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 23% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 1.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.0%, 39% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
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
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 1,934 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 66.2 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,788 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.25 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.16 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 19,084 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 6,038 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 65.37 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.63 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2027)
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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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.