Sri Lanka Unemployment Rate
Sri Lanka's unemployment rate held steady at 3.8% in the second quarter of 2025, unchanged from the first quarter of 2025. This stability is supported by economic recovery with total employment rising. The services sector grew to 4.09 million workers and the industrial sector expanded to 2.15 million workers in early 2025. These sectors are absorbing labor previously in agriculture. Global labor mobility also contributes to this trend. The total employed population increased by about 238,000 jobs over the past year. Sri Lanka's record low unemployment rate was 3.8% in Q1 2025 and record high was 5.8% in Q3 2020.
Quarterly Historical Data (2015-2025)
(in %)Recent Events
Sri Lanka Unemployment Rate : Definition
The Sri Lanka unemployment rate represents the percentage of the total labor force that is jobless and actively seeking work. It is calculated by dividing the number of unemployed individuals by the total labor force (employed plus unemployed), then multiplying the result by 100. Data is typically collected through surveys conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics.