Unemployment Rate: Pakistan
Pakistan's unemployment rate is currently 7.5% as of 2026. # Pakistan Unemployment Rate Pakistan's unemployment rate stands at 7.
Current (2026)
7.5%
-6.3% y/y
Peak (2023)
8.5%
Low (1987)
3.1%
Source
IMF World Economic Outlook
1983–2026 · 48 pts
Unemployment Rate — Pakistan
1983 — 2026
Unemployment Rate — Pakistan
Analysis# Pakistan Unemployment Rate
Pakistan's unemployment rate stands at 7.5% in 2026, representing a modest decline from the recent peak of 8.5% in 2023. The current level remains significantly elevated compared to the historical low of 3.1% recorded in 1987, yet the overall trajectory since 1983 shows a 92.3% increase in unemployment pressure on the economy. The gap between current conditions and the lowest recorded rate underscores persistent structural challenges in the labor market.
A sharp spike occurred between 2022 and 2023, when unemployment jumped from 6.2% to 8.5%, marking the most dramatic deterioration in the data series. Since that peak, the rate has gradually declined through 2024 and 2025, settling at 7.5% by 2026. This downward momentum suggests stabilization, though continued economic adjustments will determine whether the recovery trajectory continues or plateaus at elevated levels.
Historical Data
48 Rows| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 5.0% | +0.00% |
| 2029 | 5.0% | -16.67% |
| 2028 | 6.0% | -11.76% |
| 2027 | 6.8% | -9.33% |
| 2026 | 7.5% | -6.25% |
| 2025 | 8.0% | -3.61% |
| 2024 | 8.3% | -2.35% |
| 2023 | 8.5% | +37.10% |
| 2022 | 6.2% | -1.59% |
| 2021 | 6.3% | -4.55% |
| 2020 | 6.6% | -4.35% |
| 2019 | 6.9% | +18.97% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | +0.00% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | -1.69% |
| 2016 | 5.9% | +0.00% |
| 2015 | 5.9% | -1.67% |
| 2014 | 6.0% | +0.00% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | +0.00% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | +0.00% |
| 2011 | 6.0% | +7.14% |
Show all 48 rows
| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.6% | +1.82% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | +5.77% |
| 2008 | 5.2% | +0.00% |
| 2007 | 5.2% | -16.13% |
| 2006 | 6.2% | -19.48% |
| 2005 | 7.7% | +0.00% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | -7.23% |
| 2003 | 8.3% | +0.00% |
| 2002 | 8.3% | +6.41% |
| 2001 | 7.8% | +0.00% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | +32.20% |
| 1999 | 5.9% | +0.00% |
| 1998 | 5.9% | -3.28% |
| 1997 | 6.1% | +12.96% |
| 1996 | 5.4% | +0.00% |
| 1995 | 5.4% | +12.50% |
| 1994 | 4.8% | +2.13% |
| 1993 | 4.7% | -20.34% |
| 1992 | 5.9% | +0.00% |
| 1991 | 5.9% | +90.32% |
| 1990 | 3.1% | +0.00% |
| 1989 | 3.1% | +0.00% |
| 1988 | 3.1% | +0.00% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | -6.06% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | -8.33% |
| 1985 | 3.6% | -5.26% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -2.56% |
| 1983 | 3.9% | — |
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