ILO Report: Progress on Job Quality Has Stalled

ILO's 2026 Employment Report Released

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has published the Employment and Social Trends 2026 Report, shedding light on the current state of the global labor market.

Global Unemployment Rate Steady at 4.9%

The report indicates that the global unemployment rate is expected to remain around 4.9% for the year 2023, corresponding to approximately 186 million people.

Access to Qualified Jobs Remains Challenging

Despite the steady 4.9% rate in various regions, millions of workers worldwide still face significant challenges in accessing qualified jobs. Approximately 300 million people live in extreme poverty, earning less than 3 dollars a day.

Informal Employment and Social Protection Issues

The report predicts that this year 2.1 billion people will work in informal jobs with limited social protection, labor rights, and job security. Limited progress in low-income countries further hampers workers facing difficult conditions.

Progress in Job Quality Stalls

ILO notes that the slowdown in the transition of economies to higher value-added industries and services is one of the biggest barriers to sustainable progress in job quality and productivity growth.

Critical Statements from ILO Director-General

In a statement reflecting on the report, ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo remarked, "Resilient growth and stable unemployment figures should not obscure a deep reality. Hundreds of millions of workers remain trapped in poverty, informality, and exclusion." Houngbo emphasized the need for coordinated action and stronger institutions for decent work and social justice in poorer economies within the context of expanding supply chains and digital trade.