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Employment: 67 million young people are unemployed worldwide; fewer opportunities due to AI

The report calls for a renewed commitment to helping young people find their way in an increasingly uncertain world of work. The main policy measures include adopting a human-centred approach to the governance of Artificial Intelligence

14 August 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Youth unemployment is on the rise. Young people are finding it increasingly difficult to secure decent work. This is highlighted in a new report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO, a United Nations agency), which points to a global rise, with more pronounced increases in high-income economies and a greater number of young people outside the world of work, education or training.

Stagnation: a barrier to young people entering the labour market

Global youth unemployment is on the rise as stagnant economic growth and sluggish job creation heighten the barriers to young people entering the labour market and exclude an ever-increasing number from education, training and employment pathways. The report “Global Youth Employment Trends 2026: Back to the Future” shows that the global youth unemployment rate rose to 12.4 per cent in 2025, equivalent to 67 million unemployed people aged between 15 and 24. At the same time, the proportion of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) rose slightly, reaching 20 per cent and affecting over 257 million people.

Youth unemployment on the rise

Between 2023 and 2025, youth unemployment rates rose in eight of the world’s eleven sub-regions, as the slowdown in economic growth, weak job creation, geopolitical tensions and rapid technological change have pushed countries towards a new youth employment crisis. “A generation that cannot find decent work cannot build its future with confidence,” says ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo. “When young people are excluded from quality employment, countries lose talent, productivity and social cohesion. Creating decent jobs for young people is not only a social imperative, but one of the smartest investments a country can make.”

The threat of technological change (including AI)

The report notes that technological change, including advances in artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming opportunities for young workers. It is estimated that 6.1 per cent of jobs held by young people aged between 15 and 29 are in occupations highly exposed to AI-related changes. Many of these occupations are medium-skilled roles, the number of which has fallen amongst young people since 2023, particularly clerical and administrative roles. At the same time, demand continues to grow in certain knowledge-based technical occupations in sectors such as science, healthcare and engineering, highlighting the importance of ensuring that young people have access to the skills needed to meet the ever-changing demands of the labour market.

In North America, youth unemployment rose sharply from 8.3 per cent in 2023 to 9.8 per cent in 2025. In Northern, Southern and Western Europe, it remained high, standing at 15 per cent in 2025, with 20 of the 29 countries in the sub-region reporting a decline in job opportunities for young people. The decline in many jobs requiring medium-level skills is making it harder for young people to find a stable career. According to the report, jobs that have traditionally served as entry points for young workers are on the decline (clerical and administrative roles, professions in the service and sales sectors, manufacturing-related jobs and certain technical professions).

PVS: widespread uncertainty in the labour market

In developing economies, the challenge remains to create enough decent jobs to absorb the growing youth population. Low unemployment rates mask widespread labour market insecurity, as many young people cannot afford to remain unemployed and instead turn to informal or precarious work. In low- and lower-middle-income countries, nearly nine out of ten young workers aged between 15 and 29 are employed informally, which limits their access to stable incomes and social protection. The report identifies sub-Saharan Africa as the sub-region facing particularly strong demographic pressures, coupled with a shortage of decent jobs, resulting in an increase in the number of young people falling into the NEET category.

The Arab States and North Africa continue to have the highest rates of youth unemployment in the world. In 2025, youth unemployment stood at 26.2 per cent in the Arab States and 22.6 per cent in North Africa. In both sub-regions, at least one in three young people were NEETs.

Measures to help young people find their way

The report calls for a renewed commitment to helping young people find their way in an increasingly uncertain labour market. Key policy measures include adopting a human-centred approach to AI governance, ensuring that innovation creates opportunities rather than exacerbating inequalities; investing in high-quality education; strengthening employment services and labour market institutions to support young people’s transition into the world of work, with a particular focus on young women; expanding social protection and safeguarding labour rights, especially for young people in vulnerable situations; creating more opportunities for decent work through supportive macroeconomic and sectoral policies.