Argentina’s unemployment rate stood at 7.8% during the first quarter of 2026, equivalent to a total of 1.1 million people, according to official data published Monday by the national statistics agency, INDEC.
Although this represents a slight improvement compared to the first quarter of 2025—when unemployment reached 7.9%, its highest level since 2021—it occurred alongside a sharp increase in informal employment and underemployment.
The informality rate reached 44.2% of employed workers, affecting 6 million people across Argentina’s 31 urban agglomerations. It is the highest level since this category began being measured in 2024.
Regarding the industry of the unemployed workers’ most recent jobs, 60% came from four sectors: manufacturing, construction, retail trade, and domestic work.
It is no coincidence that these are among the sectors most heavily affected by declining consumer demand, trade liberalization, and the slowdown in public works projects promoted by President Javier Milei’s administration.
