Unemployment rate in Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia: Unemployment rate was 9.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Saint Lucia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate in Saint Lucia stood at 9.5%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 54.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Saint Lucia peaked at 25.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 2025.
Saint Lucia ranks 41st of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Saint Lucia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 16.5% | — |
| 1992 | 16.5% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 16.8% | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 17.0% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 15.8% | -6.9% |
| 1996 | 16.3% | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 20.5% | +25.4% |
| 1998 | 21.6% | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 18.1% | -16.3% |
| 2000 | 16.5% | -8.8% |
| 2001 | 18.5% | +12.4% |
| 2002 | 20.4% | +10.0% |
| 2003 | 22.2% | +8.8% |
| 2004 | 21.0% | -5.5% |
| 2005 | 18.7% | -10.8% |
| 2006 | 16.0% | -14.4% |
| 2007 | 14.0% | -12.5% |
| 2008 | 12.7% | -9.1% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | +20.8% |
| 2010 | 17.1% | +11.4% |
| 2011 | 18.9% | +10.2% |
| 2012 | 19.1% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 22.2% | +16.5% |
| 2014 | 21.6% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 20.8% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 19.9% | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 19.3% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 15.6% | -19.2% |
| 2020 | 25.2% | +61.6% |
| 2021 | 20.5% | -18.7% |
| 2022 | 15.9% | -22.3% |
| 2023 | 12.1% | -24.1% |
| 2024 | 10.2% | -15.7% |
| 2025 | 9.5% | -7.3% |
Saint Lucia compared with similar countries
- Saint Lucia's 9.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 1.7× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Saint Lucia's 9.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 6.0%, 1.6× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.7% | 15.8% | 21.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 17.5% | 12.7% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.4% | 15.6% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.6% | 9.5% | 25.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saint Lucia
More work & labour data for Saint Lucia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9619 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9107 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.01 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8203 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 48.56 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 133.72 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 55.65 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 52.55 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 108.21 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Saint Lucia?
- Unemployment rate in Saint Lucia was 9.5% 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 Saint Lucia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Saint Lucia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 2025.
- How does Saint Lucia rank for unemployment rate?
- Saint Lucia ranks 41st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Saint Lucia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saint Lucia 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.