Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Estonia
Estonia: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 7.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Estonia, 1989–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Estonia is 7.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Estonia peaked at 16.7% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1989.
That places Estonia 61st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Estonia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 0.6% | — |
| 1990 | 0.7% | +16.7% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | +127.3% |
| 1992 | 3.7% | +149.9% |
| 1993 | 6.6% | +77.8% |
| 1994 | 7.6% | +15.8% |
| 1995 | 9.7% | +28.0% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 10.4% | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 9.5% | -8.3% |
| 1999 | 11.6% | +21.7% |
| 2000 | 13.4% | +15.4% |
| 2001 | 13.1% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | -23.7% |
| 2003 | 11.3% | +12.6% |
| 2004 | 10.2% | -9.2% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | -21.6% |
| 2006 | 5.9% | -26.4% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | -22.4% |
| 2008 | 5.5% | +18.8% |
| 2009 | 13.5% | +148.4% |
| 2010 | 16.7% | +23.3% |
| 2011 | 12.3% | -26.2% |
| 2012 | 10.0% | -18.7% |
| 2013 | 8.6% | -13.9% |
| 2014 | 7.4% | -14.8% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | -12.8% |
| 2016 | 6.9% | +7.3% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | -15.6% |
| 2018 | 5.4% | -6.8% |
| 2019 | 4.5% | -16.6% |
| 2020 | 7.0% | +54.1% |
| 2021 | 6.2% | -11.2% |
| 2022 | 5.6% | -9.8% |
| 2023 | 6.4% | +14.5% |
| 2024 | 7.5% | +17.6% |
| 2025 | 7.5% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 7.1% | 0.7% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.6% | 4.6% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.4% | 4.5% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.7% | 5.6% | 7.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
More work & labour data for Estonia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6763 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.6638 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.77 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1039 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 885.23 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 259.52 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 417.66 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 407.84 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 825.5 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Estonia?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Estonia was 7.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 16.7% in 2010.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1989.
- How does Estonia rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Estonia ranks 61st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Estonia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.