Argentina’s unemployment rate rose to 7.9% in the second quarter of 2026, up slightly from 7.8% in the previous quarter. The employment rate inched up to 45.0% from 44.8%, while labor force participation increased to 48.9% from 48.6%.
By region, unemployment was highest in the Pampas, at 9.7%, followed by Greater Buenos Aires at 8.2%. By gender, the jobless rate reached 8.4% for women and 7.5% for men. Among young people aged 14 to 29, unemployment stood at 17.1% for women and 14.1% for men.
In terms of education, the largest share of the unemployed was among those with completed secondary schooling, accounting for 2.8% of the labor force. Regarding the duration of job searches, 2.4% of the labor force had been seeking work for more than a year.
Unemployment in urban areas outside Greater Buenos Aires increased markedly, rising from 6.8% to 7.6%.
