Uruguay labor market shows stable unemployment and lower informality

According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), Uruguay's unemployment rate remained stable at 7.1% in September, matching the previous month and the same period in 2025. The employment rate stood at 59.6%, while the activity rate was recorded at 64.1%.

A significant development was the decrease in informality, which fell to 21%, representing a 1.3 percentage point drop compared to September 2025. Despite this improvement, regional disparities persist, with informality at 15.2% in Montevideo compared to 24.8% in the rest of the country.

Demographic gaps remain evident. Unemployment affects 8.6% of women compared to 5.8% of men. Additionally, youth unemployment (ages 14 to 24) remains the most critical area, with a rate of 21.6%, which is three times the national average.