Youth Unemployment Rate in France increased to 18.30 percent in September from 18.10 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - France Youth Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

In 2024, the youth unemployment rate in France was 16.57 percent. Between 1991 and 2024, the figure dropped by 2.92 percentage points, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Since 2015, the unemployment rate of young French men and women has been steadily decreasing. While the 2008 economic crisis caused financial troubles in all EU member states, impacting companies and banks, studies have shown that the lack of follow-up and the absence of options for young people without diplomas are some of the main causes of youth unemployment in France. Younger generations are more affected by unemployment The global unemployment rate of the country increased from 2011 to 2016, and it went down to around *** percent by 2024. However, in recent years, younger generations seemed to be particularly affected by unemployment in France, while the percentage of the working population is decreasing in the country. The issue of unemployment in France France has one of the highest unemployment rates in the European Union. Workers seem to be more affected by unemployment compared to employees or managers, while long-term unemployment is more prevalent among the older generations. Thus, for years, the French government has been trying to find solutions to curb the rise in unemployment. The average monthly gross amount of benefits increased slightly since 2011, while the country spent more than ** million euros on work and employment, which was only the government’s ninth spending area that year.

View monthly updates and historical trends for France Youth Unemployment Rate. Source: Eurostat. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

Graph and download economic data for Youth Unemployment Rate for France (SLUEM1524ZSFRA) from 1991 to 2024 about 15 to 24 years, France, unemployment, and rate.

France - Youth unemployment rate: Males was 19.00% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for France - Youth unemployment rate: Males - last updated from the EUROSTAT on December of 2025. Historically, France - Youth unemployment rate: Males reached a record high of 25.10% in December of 2015 and a record low of 18.20% in December of 2023.

Historical dataset showing France youth unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

The unemployment rate* in France increased between 1975 and 2025 for all age categories. In 1975, only young people aged 15 to 24 did not reach full employment (established at five percent). In 2025, only those aged 50 and over were in full employment. Over the decades, it is the latter category that has been the least affected by unemployment. The youth unemployment rate has exploded since 1975, from ***** percent to almost ** percent in the third quarter of 2025.

Historical dataset showing St. Martin (French part) youth unemployment rate by year from N/A to N/A.

France - Youth employment rate, age group 20-29 was 67.70% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for France - Youth employment rate, age group 20-29 - last updated from the EUROSTAT on November of 2025. Historically, France - Youth employment rate, age group 20-29 reached a record high of 67.70% in December of 2024 and a record low of 60.30% in December of 2014.

In 2024, approximately **** percent of people aged 15 to 24 were unemployed in France, the highest of any age group. Since 2008, older age groups have had much lower unemployment rates than 15-24-year-olds, who have consistently had the highest unemployment rate. Moreover, for all the age groups, the unemployment rate peaked in 2015 when almost a quarter of 15 to 24-year-olds were unemployed and *** percent of 25-to 49-year-olds were jobless.

Historical dataset showing French Polynesia youth unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Adjusted Unemployment Rate for Youth in France (DISCONTINUED) (FRAURYNAA) from 1970 to 2012 about France, adjusted, unemployment, and rate.

France - Youth unemployment rate was 18.70% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for France - Youth unemployment rate - last updated from the EUROSTAT on December of 2025. Historically, France - Youth unemployment rate reached a record high of 26.40% in December of 2013 and a record low of 17.20% in December of 2023.

During the first quarter of 2025, La Réunion and Guyane, two overseas regions, had the highest unemployment rate among all French regions. Over there, the unemployment rate reached **** and **** percent, respectively, compared to around *** percent in Bretagne and Pays de la Loire. Unemployment: an important issue in the economy of France France has been struggling with unemployment since the end of the 2000s and the beginning of the 2008 financial crisis. The unemployment rate in the country reached a record level in 2015 when it amounted to nearly **** percent. However, the situation of employment in France has shown signs of recovery since then. Youth unemployment in the country is finally decreasing; in the meantime, long-term unemployment in France has not yet regained its pre-2008 levels, but stood at *** percent in 2024, a decrease of *** points since the previous year. Being unemployed in France Unemployment does not affect the population in the same way. As displayed by this figure, the northern part of France, which used to be a mining center, was more impacted by the phenomenon. Workers, contrary to the more qualified socio-professional categories, were also more affected by unemployment, as well as women, who are usually more unemployed than men in France, regardless of their nationality.

View monthly updates and historical trends for France Male Youth Unemployment Rate. Source: Eurostat. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

In 2010, unemployment rate in France reached a record level of 10.4 percent. Unemployment remains a rampant issue for French economy, being stagnant year-over-year since the financial and economical crisis in 2008. During the first quarter of 2018, more than 1.4 million people aged between 25 and 49 years were unemployed in France.

Change in unemployment since 2008

In 2008, year of the financial crisis, unemployment rate in France reached its lowest level since 2004. That year, France had an unemployment rate of 7.4 percent while, one year before it had reached 8 eight percent. Unemployment is an important economic factor for a country and a measure of a region’s economic health. Despite its low level in 2008, unemployment rate in France increased steadily between 2009 and 2016. In 2015, it even reached its highest level since the mid-2000s with a percentage of unemployed people among the French population which was of 10.4 percent. That year, unemployed people represented 11.5 percent of the urban population in France. However, French unemployment rate seemed to be experiencing improvements in recent years. In 2017, long-term employment rate decreased after several years of constant growth.

Unemployment in France and the EU

European markets were particularly affected by the 2008 global financial crisis and the recession which followed. Nevertheless, Unemployment rate in the EU reached 6.5 percent in January 2019, compared to 7.2 percent one year before and the number of unemployed persons in the European Union and the Euro area is declining since 2018. This improvement seems to be affecting France to a lesser extent. France was one of the EU members with the highest unemployment rate in 2019, and youth unemployment still reaches a record number in the country.

France FR: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data was reported at 21.252 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 24.079 % for 2016. France FR: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 23.234 % from Dec 1983 (Median) to 2017, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.139 % in 1997 and a record low of 18.074 % in 2008. France FR: Unemployment: National Estimate: Youth Female: % of Female Labour Force Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s France – Table FR.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

The unemployment rate* in France increased between 1975 and 2025 for all age categories. In 1975, only young people aged 15 to 24 did not reach full employment (established at five percent). In 2025, only those aged 50 and over were in full employment. Over the decades, it is the latter category that has been the least affected by unemployment. The youth unemployment rate has exploded since 1975 from seven percent to around 19 percent in the first quarter of 2025.

france - Youth Unemployment Rate for France was 16.57% in January of 2024, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, france - Youth Unemployment Rate for France reached a record high of 19.28 in January of 2021 and a record low of 16.57 in January of 2024. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for france - Youth Unemployment Rate for France - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.