Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland
Switzerland: Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) was 8.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland, 1990–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland is 8.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 6.5% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland peaked at 8.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 1992.
Switzerland ranks 117th of 160 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.2% | — |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 3.0% | -7.9% |
| 1993 | 5.8% | +94.0% |
| 1994 | 5.6% | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 4.7% | -16.2% |
| 1996 | 4.7% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | +28.9% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 5.7% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 4.8% | -14.9% |
| 2001 | 5.6% | +17.0% |
| 2002 | 5.6% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 8.5% | +52.1% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | -9.3% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | +13.7% |
| 2006 | 7.7% | -12.1% |
| 2007 | 7.1% | -8.0% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 8.4% | +20.3% |
| 2010 | 8.2% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 7.7% | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 8.3% | +7.7% |
| 2013 | 8.7% | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 8.6% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 8.8% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 8.6% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 8.1% | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 7.9% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 8.0% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 8.6% | +7.6% |
| 2021 | 8.3% | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 6.8% | -17.8% |
| 2023 | 7.9% | +14.9% |
| 2024 | 8.2% | +4.8% |
| 2025 | 8.8% | +6.5% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 8.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.9%, 63% of the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 8.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.2%, 58% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +94.0% | 3.0% | 5.8% |
| 2003 | +52.1% | 5.6% | 8.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.8% | 3.0% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.1% | 4.8% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 7.7% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.1% | 6.8% | 8.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 114 Jamaica 9.1% compare
- 115 Netherlands 8.8% compare
- 116 Afghanistan 8.8% compare
- 118 Peru 8.7% compare
- 119 Rwanda 8.6% compare
- 120 Kyrgyzstan 8.5% compare
More work & labour data for Switzerland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0651 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0485 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0817 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6452 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 8,038 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,842 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,568 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,558 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,126 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland?
- Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) in Switzerland was 8.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 1992.
- How does Switzerland rank for unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24)?
- Switzerland ranks 117th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.