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France Unemployment Rate

France's unemployment rate held steady at 7.5% in Q2 2025, unchanged from Q1 2025. This stability occurred despite expectations of slower economic expansion for the year. Labor market resilience was supported by government reforms to unemployment benefit rules enacted in early 2025. These reforms impacted how jobseekers behaved and accessed benefits. France's record low unemployment rate was 3.2% in Q1 1975 and record high was 10.7% in Q1 1994.

Quarterly Historical Data (1975-2025)

(in %)
Quarter Unemployment Rate
Q2 2025 7.5%
Q1 2025 7.5%
Q4 2024 7.3%
Q3 2024 7.4%
Q2 2024 7.3%
Q1 2024 7.5%
Q4 2023 7.5%
Q3 2023 7.4%
Q2 2023 7.2%
Q1 2023 7.1%
Q4 2022 7.1%
Q3 2022 7.2%
Q2 2022 7.4%
Q1 2022 7.4%
Q4 2021 7.4%
Q3 2021 7.9%
Q2 2021 7.9%
Q1 2021 8.2%
Q4 2020 8.1%
Q3 2020 9%
Q2 2020 7.2%
Q1 2020 7.9%
Q4 2019 8.2%
Q3 2019 8.3%
Q2 2019 8.4%
Q1 2019 8.8%
Q4 2018 8.8%
Q3 2018 8.9%
Q2 2018 9.1%
Q1 2018 9.3%
Q4 2017 9%
Q3 2017 9.5%
Q2 2017 9.5%
Q1 2017 9.6%
Q4 2016 10%
Q3 2016 9.9%
Q2 2016 10%
Q1 2016 10.2%
Q4 2015 10.2%
Q3 2015 10.4%
Q2 2015 10.5%
Q1 2015 10.3%
Q4 2014 10.5%
Q3 2014 10.3%
Q2 2014 10.2%
Q1 2014 10.1%
Q4 2013 10.1%
Q3 2013 10.3%
Q2 2013 10.5%
Q1 2013 10.3%
Q4 2012 10.2%
Q3 2012 9.8%
Q2 2012 9.7%
Q1 2012 9.5%
Q4 2011 9.3%
Q3 2011 9.2%
Q2 2011 9.1%
Q1 2011 9.2%
Q4 2010 9.2%
Q3 2010 9.2%
Q2 2010 9.3%
Q1 2010 9.4%
Q4 2009 9.5%
Q3 2009 9.2%
Q2 2009 9.2%
Q1 2009 8.6%
Q4 2008 7.8%
Q3 2008 7.4%
Q2 2008 7.3%
Q1 2008 7.2%
Q4 2007 7.5%
Q3 2007 8%
Q2 2007 8.1%
Q1 2007 8.5%
Q4 2006 8.4%
Q3 2006 8.9%
Q2 2006 9%
Q1 2006 9.2%
Q4 2005 9.1%
Q3 2005 9%
Q2 2005 8.8%
Q1 2005 8.6%
Q4 2004 8.9%
Q3 2004 8.8%
Q2 2004 8.8%
Q1 2004 9%
Q4 2003 8.8%
Q3 2003 8.4%
Q2 2003 8.5%
Q1 2003 8.4%
Q4 2002 7.9%
Q3 2002 7.9%
Q2 2002 7.9%
Q1 2002 7.8%
Q4 2001 7.8%
Q3 2001 7.7%
Q2 2001 7.7%
Q1 2001 7.8%
Q4 2000 8%
Q3 2000 8.4%
Q2 2000 8.7%
Q1 2000 9.1%
Q4 1999 9.5%
Q3 1999 9.9%
Q2 1999 10.2%
Q1 1999 10.2%
Q4 1998 10.2%
Q3 1998 10.1%
Q2 1998 10.2%
Q1 1998 10.3%
Q4 1997 10.5%
Q3 1997 10.6%
Q2 1997 10.7%
Q1 1997 10.7%
Q4 1996 10.6%
Q3 1996 10.5%
Q2 1996 10.5%
Q1 1996 10.2%
Q4 1995 9.9%
Q3 1995 9.8%
Q2 1995 9.9%
Q1 1995 10.2%
Q4 1994 10.4%
Q3 1994 10.6%
Q2 1994 10.7%
Q1 1994 10.7%
Q4 1993 10.5%
Q3 1993 10.2%
Q2 1993 9.9%
Q1 1993 9.6%
Q4 1992 9.3%
Q3 1992 9.1%
Q2 1992 8.9%
Q1 1992 8.7%
Q4 1991 8.5%
Q3 1991 8.3%
Q2 1991 8.1%
Q1 1991 7.9%
Q4 1990 8%
Q3 1990 8%
Q2 1990 8%
Q1 1990 8.1%
Q4 1989 8.1%
Q3 1989 8.1%
Q2 1989 8.3%
Q1 1989 8.4%
Q4 1988 8.7%
Q3 1988 8.9%
Q2 1988 8.9%
Q1 1988 9%
Q4 1987 9.1%
Q3 1987 9.2%
Q2 1987 9.3%
Q1 1987 9.3%
Q4 1986 9.2%
Q3 1986 9.1%
Q2 1986 9.1%
Q1 1986 9%
Q4 1985 9.1%
Q3 1985 9.1%
Q2 1985 9.1%
Q1 1985 9.1%
Q4 1984 9%
Q3 1984 8.8%
Q2 1984 8.6%
Q1 1984 8.2%
Q4 1983 7.8%
Q3 1983 7.5%
Q2 1983 7.3%
Q1 1983 7.3%
Q4 1982 7.3%
Q3 1982 7.2%
Q2 1982 7.1%
Q1 1982 7%
Q4 1981 6.9%
Q3 1981 6.8%
Q2 1981 6.5%
Q1 1981 6.2%
Q4 1980 5.8%
Q3 1980 5.6%
Q2 1980 5.5%
Q1 1980 5.5%
Q4 1979 5.4%
Q3 1979 5.3%
Q2 1979 5.2%
Q1 1979 5.1%
Q4 1978 5%
Q3 1978 4.8%
Q2 1978 4.5%
Q1 1978 4.5%
Q4 1977 4.6%
Q3 1977 4.7%
Q2 1977 4.5%
Q1 1977 4.2%
Q4 1976 4%
Q3 1976 3.9%
Q2 1976 4%
Q1 1976 4%
Q4 1975 3.9%
Q3 1975 3.8%
Q2 1975 3.5%
Q1 1975 3.2%

Recent Events

datetime event actual previous consensus
2021-02-16 01:30 AM Unemployment Rate (Q4) 8% 9.1% 9%

Next Release Date :

France Unemployment Rate : Definition
France's unemployment rate measures the percentage of the labor force that is jobless and actively seeking work. It is calculated by dividing the number of unemployed by the total labor force, then multiplying by 100. The labor force includes both employed and unemployed individuals.
Indicator Last Value Prior Value Period
Annual Unemployment Rate 7.37% 7.34% 2024
Female Labor Force Rate 51.68% 51.83% 2024
Jobless Claims -11.7K 52.9K Aug'25
Payroll Employment 27,100K 27,048K Jun'25