Chile faces record unemployment as labor crisis deepens

Chile's labor market shows a sharp downturn. Of the 16.65 million people aged 15 or older, about 10.4 million are in the labour force. Approximately 9.42 million are employed while the unemployed count reached 981 000, pushing the unemployment rate to roughly 8.4%–9.4%, the highest level since September 2021.

A recent Descifra survey found that 77% of respondents consider the situation an “employment emergency”. Seventy‑seven percent see the crisis as urgent, 57% point to rising unemployment as the most concerning trend, and 23% cite growing informal work. The poll also places responsibility for the high unemployment and informality largely on the current administration, increasing pressure on President Gabriel Kast to introduce measures to reverse the trend.