Youth unemployment rose to 12.4% globally in 2025, with 67 million 15-to-24-year-olds worldwide without a job, according to a new report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The increase marked a reversal of improvements seen after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a deterioration in both the quantity and quality of jobs available to young workers.
Global Youth Unemployment Hits Record High
Global youth unemployment increased between 2023 and 2025 in eight of the world's 11 subregions, the report said. Rates also rose across high-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries. The ILO highlighted the decline of middle-skilled jobs, including clerical, administrative, sales, and manufacturing roles, which have traditionally provided an entry point into the labour market for young people leaving secondary school or university.
The agency estimated that 6.1% of jobs currently held by people aged 15 to 29 are in occupations most exposed to AI-related changes. If just 10% of those jobs disappeared entirely, around 5.6 million young workers, mainly in high-income countries, could face unemployment, career changes, or exit the labour force, it said.
Youth Unemployment Highest in Arab States and North Africa
Youth unemployment was highest in the Arab States at 26.2%, followed by Northern Africa at 22.6%, the report said. Some of the sharpest deterioration occurred in wealthier economies, with youth unemployment in North America climbing to 9.8% in 2025 from 8.3% in 2023. Across Northern, Southern, and Western Europe, the rate stood at 15%.
The ILO said the share of young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET) also edged higher to 20%, representing more than 257 million people. The picture is worsening almost universally, the report said.
Jobs in High-Skilled Sectors Expand, But Risks Remain
Jobs in high-skilled sectors such as science, engineering, healthcare, and information technology continue to expand in most countries, the report said. However, many young people in developing economies cannot afford prolonged unemployment and instead take insecure work. Nearly nine in 10 young workers in low- and lower-middle-income countries remain in informal employment, lacking adequate labour and social protections.
The ILO warned that risks should not be underestimated, despite the long-term impact of AI remaining uncertain. The trend could intensify as AI transforms workplaces, and the agency highlighted the need for policymakers to take action to mitigate the effects of technological change on young workers.
Source: Joy Online
