The OECD unemployment rate held steady at 4.9% in July 2025, maintaining a streak at or below 5.0% since April 2022 and leaving the total unemployed at 34.3 million.

• Unemployment rates were unchanged in 20 OECD countries, fell in 11 (notably Greece and Norway), and rose only in Ireland and Sweden.

• Japan, Korea, and Slovenia posted jobless rates below 3%, near record lows, while 14 OECD countries had rates at least 1.0 ppt above their historic lows.

• Youth unemployment declined to 11.2% (from 11.4% in June) but remained 7.1 ppts higher than the 25+ rate; the gap was smallest in Japan and Germany (<3 ppts) and largest in Costa Rica, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia (>15 ppts).

• Men’s unemployment held at 4.8% and women’s at 5.0%, both stable from June.

• In the EU and euro area, rates remained at 5.9% and 6.2%, respectively; Greece, Austria, and Portugal saw demographic-driven shifts, while Ireland’s rise was led by women.

• Outside the euro area, Türkiye’s jobless rate fell to a record low of 8%, while Sweden’s increase was driven by women.

• August data showed Canada’s unemployment rising to 7.1%, while the U.S. remained stable at 4.3%, slightly above levels from January.