Youth unemployment is rising. Young people face greater difficulties in accessing decent work. This is highlighted in a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO, a United Nations agency), which notes a global increase with more marked rises in high-income economies and a greater number of young people outside the labor market, education, or training.
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Stagnation as a barrier to youth entry into the labor market
Global youth unemployment is rising as economic growth stagnation and poor job creation increase barriers to youth entry into the market and exclude an increasing number from education, training, and work pathways. The report “Global Trends in Youth Employment 2026: Back to the Future” shows that the global youth unemployment rate rose to 12.4% in 2025, equivalent to 67 million unemployed people aged 15 to 24. At the same time, the percentage of young people who are not working, studying, or in training (NEET) slightly increased, reaching 20% and affecting over 257 million people.
Youth unemployment on the rise
Between 2023 and 2025, youth unemployment rates increased in eight of the world’s eleven subregions, as slowing economic growth, poor job creation, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological change push countries toward a new youth employment crisis. “A generation unable to find decent work cannot build its future with confidence,” says ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo – “when young people are excluded from quality employment, countries lose talent, productivity, and social cohesion. Creating decent jobs for young people is not only a social imperative but one of the smartest investments a country can make.”
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The threat of technological change (including AI)
The report notes that technological change, including advances in artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming opportunities for young workers. It is estimated that 6.1% of jobs held by young people aged 15 to 29 fall into professions highly exposed to AI-related changes. Many of these professions coincide with medium-skilled jobs, whose numbers have declined among young people since 2023, particularly clerical and administrative roles. At the same time, demand continues to grow in some knowledge-based technical professions in fields such as science, healthcare, and engineering, highlighting the importance of ensuring young people have access to the skills needed to meet the evolving demands of the labor market.
In North America, youth unemployment sharply increased from 8.3% in 2023 to 9.8% in 2025. In Northern, Southern, and Western Europe, it remained high at 15% in 2025, with 20 of the 29 countries in the subregion reporting a decline in job opportunities for young people. The decline of many medium-skill jobs makes it harder for young people to find stable careers. According to the report, jobs that traditionally served as entry points for young workers are declining (clerical and administrative roles, service and sales professions, manufacturing-related jobs, and some technical professions).
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