Colombia’s Unemployment Holds at 8.8% as Decline Stalls
COLOMBIA · ECONOMY
—The headline: Colombia’s unemployment rate was 8.8% in April 2026, unchanged from the same month a year earlier, the statistics agency DANE reported.
—The stall: The flat reading suggests the steady decline in joblessness seen in recent periods has levelled off.
—The jobs: Employment rose by 701,000 people over the year, of which 506,000 were formal jobs, even as the number of unemployed also rose by 67,000.
—The drivers: Public administration, education and health led job creation with 234,000 posts, followed by construction and arts and entertainment.
—The spread: Quibdó had the highest jobless rate at 25.1%, while Villavicencio was among the lowest at 7.5%.
Colombia’s unemployment rate held steady at 8.8% in April, unchanged from a year earlier, in a labour market that added more than 700,000 jobs but where the long decline in joblessness appears to have stalled. Public-sector hiring drove much of the gain, while informality edged lower.
What the data show
The National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) reported that the national unemployment rate stood at 8.8% in April 2026, the same level as in April 2025. In the 13 main cities and metropolitan areas the rate was also 8.8%, a slight rise from 8.7% a year earlier.
Although the headline figure did not move, the report showed gains in both participation and employment. The global participation rate rose to 64.7% from 63.7%, and the employment rate climbed to 59.1% from 58.1%. For some analysts, the flat unemployment number indicates that the reduction in joblessness has stalled.
More jobs, but more jobseekers too
The employed population rose by a significant 701,000 people nationwide, a 3.0% increase from April 2025, bringing the total to 24.2 million. Of the new jobs, 506,000 were formal and 195,000 informal. At the same time, the number of unemployed people rose by 67,000, leaving around 2.3 million Colombians out of work.
The share of informal employment fell to 54.2% nationally, down from 55% a year earlier, though DANE said the decline was not statistically significant. The gender gap narrowed slightly, but female unemployment, at 10.9%, remained well above the male rate of 7.1%.
Which sectors are hiring
Public administration, defence, education and health was the sector that contributed most to the rise in employment, adding 234,000 people. Construction added 153,000 jobs, while arts and entertainment activities also grew, in line with a boom in concerts and a higher demand for events.
Of the 13 activities DANE measures, three shed jobs: financial activities, communications and commerce. The prominence of public-sector hiring in the overall gain is a notable feature of the month’s data.
A wide regional gap
The figures masked sharp regional differences. Quibdó again recorded the highest unemployment rate in the country at 25.1%, followed by Cartagena at 13.1% and Riohacha at 12.8%. At the other end, Villavicencio at 7.5%, Pereira at 7.6% and Bucaramanga at 7.9% had the lowest rates.
The persistence of very high joblessness in cities such as Quibdó and Buenaventura, above 25%, underscores the uneven nature of Colombia’s labour-market recovery. This article reports official data and is general information, not investment advice.
What is Colombia’s unemployment rate?
It was 8.8% in April 2026, unchanged from the same month a year earlier, according to the statistics agency DANE.
Did employment grow?
Yes. Employment rose by 701,000 over the year, of which 506,000 were formal jobs, though the number of unemployed also rose by 67,000.
Which sectors added the most jobs?
Public administration, education and health led with 234,000 jobs, followed by construction and arts and entertainment.
Where is unemployment highest?
Quibdó had the highest rate at 25.1%, with Buenaventura also above 25%; the lowest were in Villavicencio, Pereira and Bucaramanga.
For more from the region, see our Latin America economic coverage.