Unemployment Rate for 15+ remains broadly stable at 5.2% for April

Country’s unemployment rate (UR) for persons aged 15 years and above remained broadly stable at 5.2 per cent in April, slightly ⁠up from 5.1 per cent in March this year. According to Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation monthly labour force and unemployment data, the rural unemployment rate advanced to 4.6 per cent last month, as compared to 4.3 per cent in March. In contrast, Urban unemployment edged down to 6.6 per cent in April from 6.8 per cent in March. The overall unemployment rate among female aged 15 years and above rose slightly to 5.4 per cent, while urban female unemployment rate declined to 8.5 per cent last month, at the lowest level recorded since April, 2025. The overall male UR also witnessed marginal uptick and stood at 5.1 per cent.Meanwhile, the overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in the age group of 15 years and above dropped to 55 per cent in April, from 55.4 per cent in March. The Worker Population Ratio, which measures the proportion of employed persons in the population, fell to 52.2 per cent last month, from 52.6 per cent in the preceding month. In rural areas, WPR stood at 54.9 per cent, while in urban areas, it remained unchanged at 46.8 per cent last month.