Unemployment with basic education in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Unemployment with basic education was 3.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
3.2%
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
99th
of 130 countries
All-time high
4.0%
in 2009
All-time low
2.6%
in 2017
Years of data
15
2009–2023

Unemployment with basic education in Sri Lanka, 2009–2023

012342009201620232009: 4 % of total labor force with basic education2010: 3.3 % of total labor force with basic education2011: 3.1 % of total labor force with basic education2012: 3.2 % of total labor force with basic education2013: 3 % of total labor force with basic education2014: 3 % of total labor force with basic education2015: 3.1 % of total labor force with basic education2016: 3.1 % of total labor force with basic education2017: 2.6 % of total labor force with basic education2018: 2.8 % of total labor force with basic education2019: 3.1 % of total labor force with basic education2020: 3.7 % of total labor force with basic education2021: 3.1 % of total labor force with basic education2022: 3.1 % of total labor force with basic education2023: 3.2 % of total labor force with basic education

Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with basic education.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment with basic education in Sri Lanka is 3.2%, measured in 2023.

The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in Sri Lanka peaked at 4.0% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2017.

That places Sri Lanka 99th out of 130 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 4.0% 4.0% 4.0% 1
2010s 3.0% 2.6% 3.3% 10
2020s 3.3% 3.1% 3.7% 4

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 96 Egypt 3.4% compare
  2. 97 Korea 3.4% compare
  3. 98 Ghana 3.3% compare
  4. 100 Hong Kong (China) 3.0% compare
  5. 101 Peru 3.0% compare
  6. 102 Singapore 2.8% compare

See the full ranking of 150 places →

More work & labour data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment with basic education in Sri Lanka?
Unemployment with basic education in Sri Lanka was 3.2% in 2023, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 2009.
What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2017.
How does Sri Lanka rank for unemployment with basic education?
Sri Lanka ranks 99th out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment with basic education in Sri Lanka. Statizoid, drawing on Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-with-basic-education-percent-of-total-labor-force-with-basic-education/sri-lanka/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education)
Unit
% of total labor force with basic education
Source
Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
150 places, 2,716 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).