France's unemployment rate rises to 8.5% in September 2026, with youth unemployment at 21.9% as Eurostat reports higher joblessness across the euro area.
Unemployment in France rises slightly
Eurostat estimates that France's unemployment rate rose to 8.5% in September 2026, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from August 2026. The euro area's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.5% during the same period.Youth unemployment climbs sharply
The unemployment rate for people under 25 in France reached 21.9% in September 2026, up from 20.8% in August and 20.3% in September 2025. The number of unemployed young people is estimated at 755,000, compared to 706,000 in August.Total unemployed in France increases
Eurostat reports that the total number of unemployed people in France rose to 2.732 million in September 2026, compared to 2.654 million in August. This marks a year-on-year increase from 7.9% in September 2025.Euro area unemployment remains stable
In the euro area, the unemployment rate stayed at 6.5% in September 2026, with 11.555 million people unemployed. This is 122,000 more than in August. The 27-member European Union also saw its unemployment rate remain at 6.2%, with 13.773 million people unemployed.Private sector employment declines
The flash estimate of private sector employment by Insee shows a decrease of 25,800 jobs between the end of June and the end of September 2026, or 0.1% of private sector staff. This follows a decline of 24,300 jobs in the second quarter, with construction and industry recording new drops.Unemployment and employment figures differ
The unemployment rate compares the number of jobless people seeking work to the active population, while employment estimates count the number of salaried positions. These metrics are not directly comparable. France Travail's registration data includes individuals in reduced activity and changes related to the full employment law, making it distinct from the ILO-based unemployment figures used by Eurostat.New data releases planned
Eurostat plans to release updated unemployment figures on December 2, 2026, while Insee will provide detailed third-quarter private sector employment data on November 27.
