Caldas department retains high competitiveness rank as unemployment subsidy opens online

The Caldas department in Colombia kept its position among the top eight regions in the 2026 Departmental Competitiveness Index, scoring 6.02 out of 10. The index highlighted the department’s strong performance in information and communication technology adoption, where it ranked third nationally, and its leading quality of higher education, ranking first in the country.

On August 10, 2026, the regional unemployment fund Confa launched a fully virtual platform for workers to apply for a new unemployment subsidy. The benefit provides economic assistance, personalized job‑search counseling, access to job offers and free training courses. Applications are accepted from 7:30 a.m. nationwide in Caldas through the Confa website, with eligibility governed by Colombian labor and social‑security regulations.