Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) was 5.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Vanuatu, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Vanuatu stood at 5.1%.
That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Vanuatu peaked at 8.7% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2020.
Vanuatu ranks 98th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.0% | — |
| 1992 | 7.9% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 8.1% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 8.1% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 8.1% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 8.2% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 8.2% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 8.4% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 8.7% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 8.1% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 8.0% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | -14.4% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | -17.4% |
| 2009 | 4.6% | -19.4% |
| 2010 | 4.7% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 4.8% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 5.1% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 5.2% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 5.2% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 5.4% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 4.0% | -25.7% |
| 2021 | 4.8% | +18.0% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | +6.3% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | +1.7% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 5.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.1%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 5.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.0%, 1.7× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in Vanuatu changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -25.7% | 5.4% | 4.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.1% | 7.9% | 8.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.6% | 4.6% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.8% | 4.0% | 5.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More education data for Vanuatu
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1,186 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,492 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 8,030 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 7,738 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 61,360 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 56,048 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.171 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Vanuatu?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Vanuatu was 5.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 8.7% in 2003.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2020.
- How does Vanuatu rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Vanuatu ranks 98th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Vanuatu data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.