Israel — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Israel, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Israel was 3.49% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 14.08% in 1992. The lowest was 3.37% in 2023 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -3.88% per year.
Israel ranks 131 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 70%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 9.00%, so Israel sits below it. It peaked in 1992 and has fallen 75% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 33%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 16 of 23 economies; Oman (3.25%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 24% in 2009. That is 14% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 34th of 187 in 1991 → 58th of 187 in 2000 → 66th of 187 in 2010 → 142nd of 187 in 2020 → 126th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 3.6% | +0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 3.37% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -1.1 pp |
| 2021 | 4.81% | +0.6 pp |
| 2020 | 4.17% | +0.4 pp |
| 2019 | 3.73% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 3.92% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 4.14% | -0.6 pp |
| 2016 | 4.72% | -0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 5.18% | -0.6 pp |
| 2014 | 5.79% | -0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 6.14% | -0.6 pp |
| 2012 | 6.76% | -0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 7.14% | -1.3 pp |
| 2010 | 8.48% | -1.1 pp |
| 2009 | 9.53% | +1.8 pp |
| 2008 | 7.7% | -1.7 pp |
| 2007 | 9.38% | -1.3 pp |
| 2006 | 10.71% | -0.6 pp |
| 2005 | 11.34% | -1.7 pp |
| 2004 | 13.03% | -0.5 pp |
| 2003 | 13.51% | +0.6 pp |
| 2002 | 12.89% | +1.1 pp |
| 2001 | 11.81% | +0.7 pp |
| 2000 | 11.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 11.18% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 10.75% | +1.0 pp |
| 1997 | 9.75% | +1.3 pp |
| 1996 | 8.46% | -0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 8.78% | -1.2 pp |
| 1994 | 9.93% | -2.8 pp |
| 1993 | 12.74% | -1.3 pp |
| 1992 | 14.08% | +0.7 pp |
| 1991 | 13.39% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Israel’s Unemployment in 1992?
14.08% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Israel’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -73.9% in total — about 3.9% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 3.49%; 2024: 3.6%; 2023: 3.37%; 2022: 3.7%; 2021: 4.81%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.