Latest: Colombia 15:00 Colombian Presidential Election Forecast: 0
Latest: Switzerland 12:00 SNB Gov Board Member Zurbrugg Speaks Forecast: 0
Latest: United Arab Emirates 16:05 GDP (YoY) Forecast: 0 % Actual: -6.1%
Latest: South Africa 16:00 SARB Monetary Policy Review Forecast: 0
Latest: United Kingdom 12:30 Annual Budget Release Forecast: 0

Unemployment Rate and Employment Data in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Unemployment Data

Indicator Data Period
Unemployment Rate 4.7 % 1Q/23
Youth Unemployment Rate 23.8 % 3Q/22
Employed Persons 8199792 Person | 8.2 Million Person 1Q/23
Employment Rate  95.3 % 1Q/23
Unemployed Persons 390816 Persons | 0.391 Million Persons 1Q/23


Latest data on Unemployment Rate (%)

Unemployment Rate
                     Sri Lanka - Historical Data (%)

What is Unemployment Rate in Sri Lanka?

  • Unemployment Rate in Sri Lanka decreased to 4.7 % in the first quarter of 2023. The maximum rate was 16.6 % and minimum was 3.7 %.
  • Data published Quarterly by Department of Census and Statistics.

Historical Data (%) by years

Data
Period
Date
4.7 1Q/23 24.07.2023
4.8 4Q/22 31.03.2023
5 3Q/22 13.01.2023
4.6 2Q/22 05.10.2022
4.3 1Q/22 13.08.2022
4.6 4Q/21 31.03.2022
5.2 3Q/21 18.01.2022
5.1 2Q/21 05.10.2021


Historical Chart by prime ministers (%)

Unemployment Rate in Sri Lanka by prime ministers

Name Period Start Data End Data Max Value Min Value CHG% Start/End
Ranil Wickremesinghe 09.02.2015 - 4.7000 4.0000 5.1000 4.0000 -14.89%
D. M. Jayaratne 21.04.2010 - 09.02.2015 5.4000 4.4000 5.4000 3.7000 -18.52%
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake 19.11.2005 - 21.04.2010 7.2000 5.1000 7.2000 5.1000 -29.17%


Latest data on Youth Unemployment Rate (%)

Youth Unemployment Rate
                     Sri Lanka - Historical Data (%)

What is Youth Unemployment Rate in Sri Lanka?

  • Youth Unemployment Rate in Sri Lanka remained unchanged at 23.8 % in the third quarter of 2022. The maximum rate was 38.1 % and minimum was 15.4 %.
  • Data published Quarterly by Department of Census and Statistics.

Historical Data (%) by years

Data
Period
Date
23.8 3Q/22 13.01.2023
23.8 2Q/22 13.01.2023
23.8 4Q/21 06.04.2022
30 2Q/21 18.01.2022
25.7 4Q/20 28.07.2021
27.7 2Q/20 22.10.2020
23.3 3Q/19 02.03.2020
20 2Q/19 29.10.2019


Historical Chart by prime ministers (%)

Youth Unemployment Rate in Sri Lanka by prime ministers

Name Period Start Data End Data Max Value Min Value CHG% Start/End
Ranil Wickremesinghe 09.02.2015 - 20.4000 17.4000 21.7000 15.4000 -14.71%
D. M. Jayaratne 21.04.2010 - 09.02.2015 20.7000 21.2000 21.7000 15.7000 2.42%
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake 19.11.2005 - 21.04.2010 25.2000 19.8000 25.2000 17.4000 -21.43%


Latest data on Employed Persons (Person)

Employed Persons
                     Sri Lanka - Historical Data (Person)

How many employed persons are in Sri Lanka?

  • Number of Employed Persons in Sri Lanka increased to 8199792 Person (8.2 Million Person) in the first quarter of 2023. The maximum rate was 8554179 Person and minimum was 4962105 Person.
  • Data published Quarterly by Department of Census and Statistics.

Historical Data (Person) by years

Data
Period
Date
8199792 1Q/23 19.08.2023
8015006 4Q/22 31.03.2023
8010340 3Q/22 13.01.2023
8177045 2Q/22 12.11.2022
8388531 1Q/22 13.08.2022
8146367 4Q/21 06.04.2022
8082393 2Q/21 18.01.2022
8031233 4Q/20 24.04.2021


Historical Chart by prime ministers (Person)

Employed Persons in Sri Lanka by prime ministers

Name Period Start Data End Data Max Value Min Value CHG% Start/End


Latest data on Employment Rate  (%)

Employment Rate 
                     Sri Lanka - Historical Data (%)

What is Employment Rate in Sri Lanka?

  • Employment Rate in Sri Lanka increased to 95.3 % in the first quarter of 2023. The maximum rate was 96.3 % and minimum was 91 %.
  • Data published Quarterly by Central Bank.

Historical Data (%) by years

Data
Period
Date
95.3 1Q/23 24.07.2023
95.2 4Q/22 31.03.2023
95 3Q/22 18.01.2023
95.4 2Q/22 05.10.2022
94.8 3Q/21 14.03.2022
94.9 2Q/21 18.01.2022
94.3 1Q/21 12.08.2021
95.4 4Q/21 22.02.2021


Historical Chart by QoQ prime ministers (%)

Employment Rate  in Sri Lanka by prime ministers

Name Period Start Data End Data Max Value Min Value CHG% Start/End


Latest data on Unemployed Persons (Persons)

Unemployed Persons
                     Sri Lanka - Historical Data (Persons)

How many Unemployed Persons are in Sri Lanka?

  • Number of Unemployed Persons in Sri Lanka decreased to 390816 Persons (0.391 Million Persons) in the first quarter of 2023. The maximum rate was 953794 Persons and minimum was 282648 Persons.
  • Data published Quarterly by Department of Census and Statistics.

Historical Data (Persons) by years

Data
Period
Date
390816 1Q/23 06.09.2023
410301 4Q/22 09.05.2023
419163 3Q/22 13.01.2023
399000 2Q/22 27.12.2022
373272 1Q/22 24.09.2022
432463 2Q/21 18.01.2022
441997 4Q/20 15.05.2021
458359 2Q/20 21.10.2020


Historical Chart by prime ministers (Persons)

Unemployed Persons in Sri Lanka by prime ministers

Name Period Start Data End Data Max Value Min Value CHG% Start/End

Other labor indicators in Sri Lanka

Index Updated Actual Previous
Minimum Wages 2023 38.199 USD/Month 38.199
Labor Force Participation Rate 1Q/23 49.9 % 48.9
Living Wage Individual 2018 156.285 USD/Month 156.285
Wages High Skilled 2018 308.81 USD/Month 326.533
Wages Low Skilled  2018 115.468 USD/Month 126.209

Unemployment Rate in other countries

Country Updated Actual Previous
Bangladesh 2022 4.7 % 5.1
Jordan 1Q/23 21.9 % 22.9
Kyrgyzstan Jun/23 2.8 % 2.8
Mongolia 2Q/23 5.8 % 6.6
Nepal 2021 5.1 % 4.7
Palestine 2Q/23 24.7 % 25.2
Tajikistan Dec/22 7.8 % 7.7
Cambodia 2022 0.36 % 0.3
China 2Q/23 5.2 % 5.3
Georgia 2023 16.7 % 18
India 2023 8 % 8.5
Israel Aug/23 3.1 % 3.4
Pakistan 2021 6.3 % 6.9
South Korea Aug/23 2.4 % 2.8
Taiwan Jul/23 3.43 % 3.45
Vietnam 2Q/23 2.3 % 2.25
Maldives 2022 4.9 % 6.1
Armenia 1Q/23 13.7 % 12.7
Hong Kong Aug/23 2.8 % 2.8
Indonesia 1Q/23 5.45 % 5.86
Japan Jul/23 2.7 % 2.5
Kazakhstan Jun/23 4.7 % 4.8
Lebanon 2022 12.6 % 12.5
Macau Jul/23 2.6 % 2.8
Malaysia Jul/23 3.4 % 3.4
Philippines 2Q/23 4.8 % 4.5
Qatar 1Q/23 0.1 % 0.1
Singapore 2Q/23 1.9 % 1.8
Sri Lanka 1Q/23 4.7 % 4.8
Thailand Jun/23 1.06 % 1.05
Oman 2022 2.3 % 2.5
Iran 1Q/23 9.7 % 8.2
Laos 2022 2.6 % 3.6
Azerbaijan 2022 5.5 % 6
Kuwait 2022 2.5 % 2.8
Saudi Arabia 1Q/23 5.1 % 4.8
Bahrain 2022 5.5 % 6.6
North Korea 2022 3 % 3.2
United Arab Emirates 2022 2.75 % 3.11
Yemen 2022 13.59 % 13.89
Turkmenistan 2021 5.1 % 5
Uzbekistan 2018 6.9 % 7.2
Iraq 2022 15.55 % 16.17
Syria 2022 9.6 % 9.8
Afghanistan 2021 13.3 % 11.7
Bhutan 2022 5.9 % 4.8
Brunei 2022 7.2 % 7.4
Mauritius 1Q/23 6.7 % 6.8