The unemployment rate was 3.5%, by 0.1 percentage points lower compared to the second quarter of 2025.
The employment rate for the population aged 15 - 64 years was 70.5%, by 0.5 percentage points lower compared to the same quarter of 2025.
The activity rate of the population aged 15 - 64 was 73.2%, by 0.5 percentage points lower compared to the second quarter of 2025.
Unemployment
In the second quarter of 2026, there were 107.1 thousand unemployed persons, of whom 65.2 thousand (60.9%) men and 41.9 thousand (39.1%) women. The unemployment rate was 3.5%, 4.0% for men and 3.0% for women, respectively.
Among all unemployed persons, 13.9% had attained tertiary education, 52.2% had completed upper secondary education and 33.9% had at most lower secondary education. The unemployment rate by level of educational attainment was as follows: 1.4% for persons with tertiary education, 3.3% for those with upper secondary education and 13.5% for those with lower education (lower secondary or less).
Among all unemployed, 12.4 thousand persons, or 11.5%, were looking for job for the first time.
In the second quarter of 2026, there were 45.0 thousand long-term unemployed people (unemployed for one year or more), representing 42.0% of all unemployed. The long-term unemployment rate was 1.5%.
In the second quarter of 2026, the youth unemployment rate (age group 15 - 29) was 8.1% (9.9% for men and 5.7% for women). Compared to the same quarter of 2025, this rate was higher by 0.1 percentage points.
Employment
In the second quarter of 2026, there were 2 917.9 thousand employed persons, of whom 1 546.8 thousand men and 1 371.1 thousand women. The employment rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 53.0%, 59.1% for men and 47.4% for women.
In the service sector worked 1 951.6 thousand persons (66.9% of all in employment), in the industry sector - 816.2 thousand (28.0%), and in the agriculture, forestry and fishing - 150.0 thousand (5.1%).
According to the status in employment, the distribution of employed persons was as follows:
- Employers - 6.0% (173.7 thousand);
- Self-employed persons without employees - 8.1% (236.5 thousand);
- Employees - 85.6% (2 497.7 thousand);
- Unpaid family workers 0.3% (10.1 thousand).
Of all employees, 1 906.5 thousand persons (76.3%) worked in the private sector, while 591.2 thousand (23.7%) worked in the public sector. Among all employees, 75.3 thousand persons (3.0%) had а temporary job (with limited duration).
In the second quarter of 2026, the employment in specific age groups was as follows:
There were 2 785.4 thousand employed persons aged 15 - 64 (1 473.3 thousand men and 1 312.1 thousand women). The employment rate for the same age group was 70.5% (73.6% for men and 67.3% for women).
The employment rate for the age group 15 - 29 was 34.3% (38.5% for men and 29.8% for women).
The employment rate for the age group 20 - 64 was 76.7% (80.2% for men and 73.2% for women). In comparison with the second quarter of 2025, the employment rate (20 - 64 years of age) decreased by 0.4 percentage points.
There were 647.2 thousand employed persons aged 55 - 64, representing 71.5% of the population in the same age group (75.3% of men and 68.0% of women). In comparison with the second quarter of 2025, the employment rate for the age group 55 - 64 increased by 1.2 percentage points.
Economic inactivity
In the second quarter of 2026, there were 2 482.9 thousand economically inactive persons (persons not in the labour force) aged 15 years and over, of whom 1 004.4 thousand (40.5%) men and 1 478.4 thousand (59.5%) women.
The economically inactive persons aged 15 - 64 were 1 060.1 thousand (464.5 thousand men and 595.6 thousand women), representing 26.8% of the population in the same age group (23.2% of men and 30.6% of women). Among all persons not in the labour force aged 15 - 64, 41.9% were inactive due to participation in education or training. There were 15.9 thousand discouraged persons aged 15 - 64, representing 1.5% of the economically inactive population in the same age group.
