Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Israel
Israel: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Israel, 1969–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Israel is 3.0%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and down 42.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Israel peaked at 13.5% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1973.
Israel ranks 150th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 57 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Israel, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 4.5% | — |
| 1970 | 3.8% | -14.5% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | -9.6% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | -21.8% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | -2.3% |
| 1974 | 3.1% | +15.6% |
| 1975 | 3.1% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 3.6% | +18.8% |
| 1977 | 3.9% | +8.3% |
| 1978 | 3.6% | -9.7% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | -18.7% |
| 1980 | 4.8% | +67.1% |
| 1981 | 5.1% | +5.1% |
| 1982 | 5.0% | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 4.5% | -10.0% |
| 1984 | 5.9% | +30.8% |
| 1985 | 6.6% | +12.2% |
| 1986 | 7.1% | +7.0% |
| 1987 | 6.0% | -15.8% |
| 1988 | 6.4% | +6.6% |
| 1989 | 8.8% | +37.9% |
| 1990 | 9.6% | +9.2% |
| 1991 | 10.6% | +10.6% |
| 1992 | 11.2% | +5.6% |
| 1993 | 10.0% | -10.3% |
| 1994 | 7.8% | -22.0% |
| 1995 | 8.8% | +12.4% |
| 1996 | 8.5% | -3.7% |
| 1997 | 9.8% | +15.3% |
| 1998 | 10.7% | +10.2% |
| 1999 | 11.2% | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 11.1% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 11.8% | +6.4% |
| 2002 | 12.9% | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 13.5% | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 13.0% | -3.5% |
| 2005 | 11.3% | -12.9% |
| 2006 | 10.7% | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | -12.4% |
| 2008 | 7.7% | -17.9% |
| 2009 | 9.5% | +23.8% |
| 2010 | 8.5% | -11.1% |
| 2011 | 7.1% | -15.8% |
| 2012 | 6.8% | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 6.1% | -9.2% |
| 2014 | 5.8% | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | -10.6% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | -8.8% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | -12.3% |
| 2018 | 3.9% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 4.2% | +11.7% |
| 2021 | 4.8% | +15.4% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -23.2% |
| 2023 | 3.4% | -8.8% |
| 2024 | 2.9% | -13.9% |
| 2025 | 3.0% | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1970s | 3.3% | 2.6% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.0% | 4.5% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.8% | 7.8% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.1% | 7.7% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.6% | 3.7% | 8.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.7% | 2.9% | 4.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Israel
More work & labour data for Israel
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4941 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4851 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5042 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.72 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 11,997 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 579.95 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 9,762 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 9,985 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 19,747 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Israel?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Israel was 3.0% 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 Israel?
- The highest recorded value was 13.5% in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Israel?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1973.
- How does Israel rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Israel ranks 150th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Israel?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Israel 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.