Dane reported that Colombia's unemployment rate in October 2025 was 8.2%, the lowest for an October since 2017, with 2.1 million people unemployed. This marks a drop of 0.9 percentage points from October 2024. However, Andi warned about the rise in labor informality amid job creation.
The National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane) updated labor market data for October 2025, revealing an unemployment rate of 8.2%, equivalent to 2.1 million Colombians without jobs. According to Andrea Ramírez Pisco, Dane's deputy director, this figure is the lowest recorded for an October since 2017, similar to the October 2014 value, and reflects a trend of monthly rates lower than those reported since 2018.
Year-over-year, unemployment fell from 9.1% in October 2024. The occupied population reached 24.3 million people, with an occupation rate of 59.7%, up 4.2% from 23.3 million the previous year. By gender, 14.25 million men and 10.1 million women were employed, with increases of 3.8% and 4.7%, respectively.
The creation of 977,000 jobs concentrated in sectors like agribusiness (+347,000, driven by the coffee harvest), lodging and food services (+279,000), and transport and storage (+231,000). However, there were losses in commerce and vehicle repair (-221,000), artistic and entertainment activities (-73,000), and construction (-68,000).
Nevertheless, informality rose to 56.1% from 55.3% in October 2024, affecting 13.6 million people compared to 12.9 million the year before. Own-account employment grew by 651,000 people, accounting for 66.7% of the total variation. Bruce Mac Master, president of Andi, expressed concern: “While a lower unemployment rate is a good indicator, it is worrying that a high percentage of the increased occupation is informal, as it is configuring a deterioration in job quality. Additionally, it is employment without rights that is hardly sustainable over time.”
Mac Master stressed that the discussion of the 2026 minimum wage must consider the impact of an excessive increase on inflation and formal job generation. In cities, Quibdó recorded the highest unemployment (23.9%), while Bogotá had the lowest informality (34.8%). The main economic branches were commerce (16.6%) and agribusiness (15.2%).
