Unemployment rate in Moldova
Moldova: Unemployment rate was 1.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Unemployment rate in Moldova, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Moldova stood at 1.5%.
The figure is up 5.5% on the previous year and down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Moldova peaked at 11.1% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 2021.
That places Moldova 177th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployment rate in Moldova, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.9% | — |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +94.7% |
| 1993 | 3.7% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 5.8% | +56.8% |
| 1995 | 5.3% | -8.6% |
| 1996 | 7.9% | +49.1% |
| 1997 | 7.9% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 10.0% | +26.6% |
| 1999 | 11.1% | +11.4% |
| 2000 | 8.5% | -23.3% |
| 2001 | 7.4% | -13.7% |
| 2002 | 6.8% | -7.1% |
| 2003 | 6.4% | -6.8% |
| 2004 | 6.4% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | -24.4% |
| 2007 | 2.7% | -35.5% |
| 2008 | 2.1% | -23.7% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | +44.2% |
| 2010 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 2.7% | -9.9% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -18.2% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | -13.5% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | -23.4% |
| 2015 | 1.8% | +22.8% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -10.7% |
| 2017 | 1.6% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -23.6% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +21.2% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -19.7% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | -34.2% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | +14.5% |
| 2023 | 1.6% | +72.7% |
| 2024 | 1.4% | -9.1% |
| 2025 | 1.5% | +5.5% |
Moldova compared with similar countries
- Moldova's 1.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 27% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Moldova's 1.5% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 27% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.4% | 1.9% | 11.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.3% | 2.1% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.2% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 0.8% | 1.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Moldova
More work & labour data for Moldova
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 654.38 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 72.49 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 1,725 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.5 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.726 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 24,890 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 5,854 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 71.4 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) -0.868 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.4043 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Moldova?
- Unemployment rate in Moldova was 1.5% 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 Moldova?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1% in 1999.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Moldova?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 2021.
- How does Moldova rank for unemployment rate?
- Moldova ranks 177th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Moldova?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Moldova 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.
Download this data
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.