Chile labor market shows regional growth in Atacama amid national unemployment rise

The Atacama Labor Observatory reported that for the May-July 2026 period, the Atacama region achieved an occupation rate of 60.1%, which is 4.2 percentage points above the national average. This represents a 0.4 percentage point increase compared to the same period in 2025, driven largely by a 1.2 percentage point rise in female employment. The total employed population in the region grew by 1.7%, adding 2,520 jobs.

In contrast, the national unemployment rate reached 9.5% during the same period, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from the previous year. In Atacama, the unemployment rate stood at 9.1%, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the prior year.

Nationally, the labor market faces challenges regarding higher education. Among university graduates aged 25 to 29, the unemployment rate reached 15.3%. Additionally, more than 35% of individuals with completed higher education are working in occupations that do not require such qualifications, highlighting a mismatch between academic training and labor market demands.