Unemployment Rate: Algeria

Analysis# Algeria Unemployment Rate Algeria's unemployment rate stood at 11.4% in 2019, reflecting a nation that has substantially improved its labor market conditions over four decades. Since 1980, the rate has declined 27.8 percentage points from its implied starting level of 39.2%. The country experienced a dramatic peak of 29.5% in 2000 during economic turbulence, before stabilizing significantly. The lowest point came in 2013 at 9.8%, marking a pivotal achievement in employment generation. Recent years reveal persistent volatility. After dipping to 10.5% in 2016, unemployment climbed to 11.7% in both 2017 and 2018 before moderating slightly to 11.4% by 2019. This elevated plateau, hovering around 11-12% since 2014, suggests Algeria faces structural employment challenges despite the long-term improvement trajectory. Sustaining further reductions from these levels will require targeted labor market policies and economic diversification beyond oil-dependent sectors.