Although the EU unemployment rate remained stable in November 2024, women were more affected than men. Spain, France, and Germany recorded the highest numbers of unemployed individuals.
ADVERTISEMENTThe unemployment rate in the EU was 5.9% in November 2024, a decrease from 6.1% in November 2023.
By the end of 2024, nearly 13 million people in the bloc were unemployed, according to the latest figures from the statistical office of the EU, Eurostat.
Spain had the highest number of unemployed individuals, with 2.74 million. France followed with 2.43 million, while Germany’s unemployed population reached 1.52 million.
In November 2024, the unemployment rate remained higher for women than men, at 6.1% and 5.7%, respectively.
Unemployment among young adults showed an upward trend.
In November 2024, more than 3 million individuals under 25 were unemployed across the EU. This brought the youth unemployment rate to 15.3%, up slightly from 15.2% in October 2024.
Compared to November 2023, youth unemployment rose by 159,000 in the EU.
The countries with the highest numbers of unemployed youth were France, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
Jobless refugees from Ukraine
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, those fleeing the war have been granted temporary protection in the EU under the Temporary Protection Scheme.
As of November 2024, 265,000 Ukrainian refugees benefiting from the scheme across 19 EU countries were unemployed, a decrease of 35,000 people compared with November 2023.
Similar to EU rates, unemployment was higher among women than men.
Of the unemployed Ukrainian refugees registered in November 2024, 159,000 were women aged 25 and over, compared to 72,000 men in the same age group.
Additionally, 32,000 Ukrainian refugees under the age of 25 were registered as unemployed across the EU in November 2024. This figure has remained relatively stable between 2023 and 2024.
Since April 2022, 20 EU countries have been recording data on unemployed refugees registered with national public employment services.