Global Youth Unemployment Rises Amid Sluggish Job Creation and Looming AI Risk, UN Labour Agency Says
The ILO said weaker growth and sluggish job creation pushed youth unemployment higher, with 67 million young people out of work worldwide.
- On Wednesday, the International Labour Organization reported global youth unemployment rose to 12.4% in 2025, affecting 67 million young people worldwide and reversing post-COVID-19 improvements.
- Weaker economic growth and geopolitical tensions drove the rise, with the International Labour Organization noting that "the picture is worsening almost universally" across eight of the world's 11 subregions.
- Youth unemployment reached 26.2% in Arab States and 22.6% in Northern Africa, while North America saw rates climb to 9.8% in 2025 from 8.3% in 2023.
- The share of young people not in employment, education or training edged to 20%, representing more than 257 million people, while nearly nine in 10 young workers in lower-income countries remain in informal employment.
- Middle-Skilled roles are declining, reducing entry points for young workers, and the ILO estimated 6.1% of jobs held by 15 to 29-year-olds face AI-related exposure.
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(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Hyun Young-bok = Global youth unemployment rates have risen due to factors such as a slowdown in global economic growth, geopolitical tensions, and a decline in job creation.
Global Youth Unemployment Surge: A Growing Crisis
Global youth unemployment rose to 12.4% in 2025, driven by weak economic growth, geopolitical tensions, and slow job creation. The International Labour Organization warns that the rise in unemployment could be exacerbated by AI, impacting middle-skilled roles. The NEET rate also increased to 20%, affecting 257 million youth globally.
According to the UN Labour Organization, global youth unemployment has increased, due to geopolitical tensions, declining economic growth and AI.
The global unemployment rate for people aged 15-24 reached 12.4 per cent in 2025, compared with 12.3 per cent in 2024
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