Overall unemployment rate declines to 4.7% in November: MoSPI

The overall unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above declined to 4.7% in November 2025 from 5.2% in October 2025, according to the data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) as per the latest findings of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by the National Statistical Office.

This is the lowest level-recorded unemployment rate since April this year.

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The overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons aged 15 years and above rose to a seven-month high of 55.8% in November 2025.

Rural female LFPR continued its steady upward trend, increasing from 35.2% in June 2025 to 39.7% in November 2025, while urban female LFPR remained broadly stable at around 25.5%.

The overall male unemployment rate decreased to 4.6% in November from 5.1% in October. In rural areas, male unemployment stood at 4.1%, while in urban areas it eased to 5.6%, compared with 4.6% and 6.1%, respectively, in October.

The Unemployment Rate (UR) among persons of age 15 years and above decreased to 4.7% in November 2025, making it the lowest level since April 2025.

In November 2025, the rural UR fell to a new low of 3.9%, while the urban UR decreased to 6.5%, matching its previous lowest level recorded in April 2025.

Unemployment rates showed a steady and broad-based decline across male, female, and all persons during April–November 2025. The fall was more pronounced in rural areas, where both male and female unemployment reached their lowest levels in November, MoSPI said in a statement.

Urban unemployment remained higher but showed improvement towards the end of the period.

Overall, the trends suggest strengthening labour market conditions, supported by gains in rural employment, rising female participation, and a gradual recovery in urban labour demand.