Euro area jobless rate holds at 6.5%, 420,000 more out of work
- The euro area unemployment rate was 6.5% in September 2026, unchanged from August.
- Euro area unemployment rose by 420,000 from September 2025 to 11.555 million.
- The EU unemployment rate was 6.2%, with 13.773 million people out of work.
- Euro area youth unemployment rose to 15.4% from 15.1% in August, Eurostat said.
LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG — The euro area’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 6.5% in September 2026, unchanged from August but up from 6.3% a year earlier. Some 11.555 million people across the currency bloc were out of work, 420,000 more than in September 2025. The rate for the wider EU was 6.2%, also stable on the month and up from 6.0% a year earlier.
Joblessness climbs across the EU
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, published the figures in its euro indicators release on Oct. 30. Across the EU, 13.773 million people were unemployed in September.
Unemployment rose by 122,000 in the euro area and by 105,000 in the EU compared with August, even as the headline rates held flat. Over 12 months, the number of jobless people in the EU increased by 471,000.
France and Italy edge higher
France’s rate rose to 8.5% in September from 8.3% in August, with 2.732 million people unemployed, while Italy’s increased to 6.3% from 6.2%. Germany held at 4.1%, and Spain rose to 10.3% from 10.2%.
Finland had the highest rate among member states at 10.5%, followed by Spain. Czechia recorded the lowest, at 2.8%, ahead of Bulgaria, Malta and Poland at 3.4% each.
Young workers lose ground
Youth unemployment rose to 15.4% in the euro area from 15.1% in August, and to 15.5% in the EU from 15.4%. Some 3.022 million people under 25 were jobless in the EU, including 2.469 million in the euro area.
The euro area unemployment rate for women held at 6.7%, while the rate for men rose to 6.4% from 6.3%. Eurostat’s estimates follow the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition, which counts people without a job who have actively sought work in the past four weeks and can start within two weeks. Eurostat will publish EU Labour Force Survey data for the third quarter on Dec. 11, 2026.
What it means for employers
The September data show more people looking for work across the euro area than a year earlier, even as the headline rate held steady.
Employers planning European headcount can weigh local hiring against nearshore outsourcing and offshore outsourcing options, starting with OA’s list of the top BPO companies worldwide.
Related news
- India’s unemployment holds at 5% in September: PLFS · 24 Oct 2026
- Servinform to cut about 10% of Spain staff after Endesa loss · 23 Oct 2026
- U.S. adds just 29,000 jobs in September as unemployment holds at 4.2% · 9 Oct 2026
Disclosure: Outsource Accelerator uses AI tools in the backend of its editorial workflow. Every article is reviewed and verified by a human editor before publication.
Stay ahead of the outsourcing industry. Join thousands of business leaders who rely on Outsource Accelerator for the news, trends, and expert insights that matter. Subscribe to our free newsletter and never miss an update.
