Informations Rapides · 16 May 2025 · n° 120

In Q1 2025, the unemployment rate was virtually stable at 7.4% ILO Unemployment and Labour Market-related indicators (Labour Force Survey results) - first quarter 2025

In Q1 2025, the number of unemployed people in France (excluding Mayotte) as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO) increased by 64,000 over the quarter and reached 2.4 million people. The ILO unemployment rate was virtually stable over the quarter (+0.1 points) and over the year (-0.1 points), at 7.4% of the labour force. It remained slightly above its lowest level since 1982 (7.1% in Q4 2022 and in Q1 2023) and clearly below its peak level reached in Q2 2015 (-3.1 points).

Over the quarter, the unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 was virtually stable (+0.1 points), at 19.2%, and remained above its level from a year ago (+1.1 points). For people aged 25 to 49, it was virtually stable over the quarter (+0.1 points) and over the year (-0.1 points), at 6.7%. Finally, for people aged 50 or more, the unemployment rate was stable over the quarter, at 4.7%, that is 0.3 points below its level from a year ago.

Over the quarter, the women’s unemployment rate increased by 0.3 points, to 7.4%, catching up with the men’s unemployment rate which was virtually stable over the quarter (-0.1 points).

Q1 2025 is also the first quarter in which the French “full employment Act” (Loi pour le plein emploi) is implemented, with a marginal impact on the unemployment rate and other labour market indicators this quarter (see box).

Among the inactive people as defined by the ILO, 1.9 million wanted a job without being considered unemployed, because they either did not seek a job or were not immediately available: they made up the halo around unemployment. This number fell sharply over the quarter (-109,000) and modestly over the year (-42,000).

Thus, the share of halo in the population of people aged 15 to 64 decreased by 0.3 points over the quarter, to 4.3%, following a similar fall in the previous quarter. It stood 0.2 points below its level from a year ago. Over the quarter, the share of halo for people aged 15 to 24 declined by 0.6 points, to 7.2%, after reaching in the previous quarter its highest level since INSEE began measuring it on a quarterly basis (2003). Among people aged 25 to 49, the share of halo decreased by 0.3 points over the quarter, to 4.2%. Finally, for people aged 50 to 64, this share was stable over the quarter, at 2.8%.

Among the unemployed, 527,000 people on average declared being jobless and having been job seeking for at least one year in Q1 2025. This number decreased by 19,000 over the quarter. The long-term unemployment rate was therefore stable over the quarter and virtually stable over the year (-0.1 points), at 1.7% of the labour force. It remained 0.5 points below its level at the end of 2019.

On average, in Q1 2025, the employment rate of people aged 15 to 64 rose by 0.4 points over the quarter, to 69.5%, after a 0.1 points decrease in the previous quarter. It stood 0.6 points above its level from a year ago and at its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

For people aged 15 to 24, the employment rate rebounded by 1.1 points, to 34.8%, but remained 0.3 points below its level from a year ago. For people aged 25 to 49, it was virtually stable over the quarter (+0.1 points), at 83.0%, that is 0.2 points above its Q1 2024 level. Finally, for older people, the employment rate continued to rise. Among people aged 50 to 64, it rose by 0.4 points over the quarter and by 1.6 points over the year, reaching 69.3%, a new high since 1975. In particular, the employment rate for people aged 55 to 64 increased by 0.5 points over the quarter and by 1.9 points over the year, at its highest level since 1975.

In Q1 2025, the full-time employment rate increased by 0.3 points over the quarter, to 57.9%, bringing the year-on-year rise to 0.4 points. The part-time employment rate was virtually stable (+0.1 points) over the quarter, to 11.6%, that is 0.2 points above its level from a year ago. As a result, the share of part-time employment in total employment was stable over the quarter, at 17.5%. This share stood very slightly above its Q1 2024 level (+0.1 points) but 1.3 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q1 2025, 4.2% of employed people were underemployed. This share was virtually stable (-0.1 points) over the quarter and over the year and stood 1.7 points below its level at the end of 2019.

On average, in Q1 2025, 16.2% of participants in the labour market (active people or in the halo around unemployment) were constrained in their labour supply, either by the absence of a job (unemployed or halo around unemployment), or in a situation of underemployment. This share decreased by 0.3 points over the quarter and by 0.2 points over the year, and remained clearly below its level at the end of 2019 (-2.7 points).

In Q1 2025, the average number of hours worked per job rose very slightly (+0.3%) over the quarter, at 31.2 hours per week (adjusted for seasonal variations and calendar effects). It stood barely below its level from a year ago (31.3 hours per week in Q1 2024). Since mid-2022, the number of hours worked has stabilised at a level similar to that before the health crisis (31.3 hours in Q4 2019).

The permanent employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 increased by 0.3 points over the quarter, at 51.3%, bringing the year-on-year rise to 0.5 points. It reached its highest level since INSEE started measuring it on a quarterly basis (2003). The employment rate on fixed-term contract or temporary work was virtually stable (-0.1 points) over the quarter, at 6.4%, that is 0.2 points below its level from a year ago. The self-employment rate was stable over the quarter, at 8.9%, that is 0.2 points above its level from a year ago. The work-study employment rate was virtually stable (+0.1 points) over the quarter and over the year, at 2.5%.

The activity rate of people aged 15 to 64 rebounded by 0.5 points over the quarter, to 75.1%, after -0.2 points the previous quarter. It stood at its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975), 0.6 points above its level from a year ago and 2.3 points above its level at the end of 2019.

Over the quarter, the activity rate for young people rebounded by 1.4 points, to 43.1%, after -1.2 points the previous quarter. It stood 0.2 points above its level from a year ago. For people aged 25 to 49, it rose by 0.2 points over the quarter, to 89.0%, its highest level since early 2014. Finally, for people aged 50 to 64, it increased by 0.3 points over the quarter, bringing the year-on-year rise to 1.3 points; it reached 72.7%, its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

In Q1 2025, the share of young people aged 15 to 29 neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) was stable, at 12.8%, after 0.7 point rise the previous quarter. This share stood 0.3 points above its level from a year ago and 0.6 points above its level at the end of 2019.

Compared to the first estimate published on 11 February 2025, the ILO unemployment rate in Q4 2024 remained unchanged at 7.3%. The employment and activity rates of people aged 15 to 64 have been revised upwards by 0.2 points, to 69.1% and 74.6% respectively.

These revisions are mainly due to the annual updates (usually made at this time of the year) to the weights used in the Labour Force Survey, starting in 2022 (calibration on new population margins). These new margins gradually increase the share of middle-aged people in the population from 2022 onwards, which has mechanically pushed up the employment rate for people aged 15 to 64. In addition, as is the case every quarter, the seasonal adjustment coefficients have been updated.