Spain continues to hold the unenviable title of the highest youth unemployment rate among OECD nations, hitting 26.5% in September, and placing it ahead of Sweden (25.9%) and Portugal (21.6%).
Japan (4%), South Korea (5.1%), and Israel (5.2%), meanwhile, boast the lowest rates for young workers.
The overall unemployment rate across OECD countries stayed steady at 4.9% for the second straight month, marking 30 consecutive months at or below 5%, according to the organization’s latest report. Among member nations, unemployment rates were below 3% in six countries, but Spain was the only one with a figure above 10%.
Spain also recorded the highest overall unemployment rate at 11.2%, trailed by Colombia (9.7%) and Greece (9.3%). On the flip side, Japan (2.4%), South Korea (2.5%), and both Israel and Mexico (2.7%) had the lowest rates.
While the broader OECD job market shows stability, Spain’s persistent struggle with high unemployment—especially among its youth—remains a glaring challenge in the organization’s roster of advanced economies.
