Labor market
Colombia's February unemployment rate drops to 9.2%
Iniulat ng AI Larawang ginawa ng AI
Dane reported Colombia's February 2026 unemployment rate at 9.2%, the lowest for any February since 2001, with 2.45 million unemployed people. Occupied population rose to 24.09 million, up 624,000 from February 2025. President Gustavo Petro and Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino hailed the figures and defended the minimum wage increase.
Around 4,000 people were granted transition support from Trygghetsfonden TSL in the first quarter, 26 percent fewer than the previous year. The decline was sharpest in construction, down 67 percent. TSL CEO Caroline Söder sees signs of stabilization despite uncertainties.
Iniulat ng AI
DANE director Piedad Urdinola clarified discrepancies between her agency's employment figures and those from Ugpp, citing different sources and methodologies. This follows criticism from Andi, which claims half a million formal jobs lost since 2023. DANE measures the labor market through direct surveys, while Andi relies on social security contributors.
At the Talent, Education, and Productivity Forum, Colombian experts discussed aligning higher education with labor market demands through dual models. Higher Education Vice Minister Ricardo Moreno stressed free access as a right in vulnerable areas, while Ascun and Sena leaders highlighted skills gaps in technical fields and technology's role.
Iniulat ng AI
In December 2025, Colombia created 603,000 new jobs, lowering the unemployment rate to 8.0%, a drop of 1.1 percentage points from 2024. Yet, 55.5% of workers, or about 13.45 million people, remain in informal employment. Experts note progress but warn of ongoing structural challenges in the labor market.