Nearly 300 million workers worldwide remain trapped in extreme poverty, earning less than $3 a day, as progress toward decent work has stalled and labour market inequalities persist, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) warned on Wednesday.
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In its latest Employment and Social Trends 2026 report, the UN agency projected a global unemployment rate of 4.9 percent next year — equivalent to some 186 million people. Despite relatively stable jobless figures, the ILO said millions still lack access to quality jobs and social protection.
The report found that informality continues to rise, with an estimated 2.1 billion workers expected to hold informal jobs by 2026, limiting access to labour rights and income security. Low-income countries are struggling the most, as workers in the weakest employment conditions fall further behind.
Youth joblessness has also become a major concern. Unemployment among people aged 15–24 climbed to 12.4 percent in 2025, while around 260 million young people were not in education, employment or training. The ILO said artificial intelligence and automation could exacerbate challenges for educated youth searching for high-skill work in advanced economies.
Women remain disproportionately excluded from labour markets, making up just two-fifths of global employment and facing a 24 percent lower likelihood of participating in the workforce compared to men. Gains in women’s employment have stalled, slowing progress toward gender equality.
Demographic shifts are reshaping labour markets as ageing populations reduce workforce growth in high-income countries, while low-income economies struggle to translate rapid population expansion into productive employment.
Trade slowdowns and uncertainty about global supply chains are adding further pressure. The ILO noted that 465 million jobs are linked to trade, more than half in Asia and the Pacific, yet weak foreign investment and stagnant trade are limiting gains in employment quality.
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Green transitions are creating new opportunities, especially in renewable energy, but the ILO stressed these represent only a fraction of broader climate-related employment potential.