Estonia’s unemployment rate fell to 7.1% in the first quarter of 2026 from an eleven-year high of 8.6% in the corresponding period last year. The number of unemployed decreased by 12.0 thousand to 52.2 thousand. Of this total, 25.6 thousand were men, compared with 33.7 thousand a year earlier, while 26.7 thousand were women, compared with 30.5 thousand previously. Across age groups, the youth unemployment rate (aged 15–24) rose by 4.0 percentage points to 22.8%, while the rate for those aged 25–49 fell to 6.2% from 8.2%, and for those aged 50–74 declined to 5.2% from 6.9%. Meanwhile, the employment rate rose to 68.0% from 67.4% a year earlier, while the number of employed increased by 4.7 thousand to 686.3 thousand. The labour force participation rate eased to 73.2% from 73.7% a year earlier. source: Statistics Estonia

Unemployment Rate in Estonia increased to 7.10 percent in the first quarter of 2026 from 6.40 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Estonia averaged 7.90 percent from 1989 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 19.50 percent in the first quarter of 2010 and a record low of 0.50 percent in the second quarter of 1989. This page provides - Estonia Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Estonia Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on May of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Estonia increased to 7.10 percent in the first quarter of 2026 from 6.40 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. Unemployment Rate in Estonia is expected to be 7.80 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Estonia Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 7.00 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-02-16 06:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Q4 6.4% 7.1% 7.1%
2026-05-15 05:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Q1 7.1% 6.4% 7.40%
2026-08-14 05:00 AM
Unemployment Rate
Q2 7.1% 7.80%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average Hourly Earnings 12.83 12.40 EUR/Hour Dec 2025
Employed Persons 686.30 688.60 Thousand Mar 2026
Employment Rate 68.00 68.10 percent Mar 2026
Job Vacancies 5.20 5.39 Thousand Apr 2026
Job Vacancy Rate 1.50 1.60 percent Dec 2025
Labor Force Participation Rate 73.20 72.70 percent Mar 2026
Population 1.37 1.37 Million Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 44.32 46.07 Thousand Mar 2026
Unemployment Rate 7.10 6.40 percent Mar 2026
Wage Growth 4.50 5.90 percent Dec 2025
Wages 2155.00 2075.00 EUR/Month Dec 2025
Wages in Manufacturing 2032.00 1975.00 EUR/Month Dec 2025


Estonia Unemployment Rate
In Estonia, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
7.10 6.40 19.50 0.50 1989 - 2026 percent Quarterly

News Stream
Estonian Jobless Rate Falls to 7.1% in Q1
Estonia’s unemployment rate fell to 7.1% in the first quarter of 2026 from an eleven-year high of 8.6% in the corresponding period last year. The number of unemployed decreased by 12.0 thousand to 52.2 thousand. Of this total, 25.6 thousand were men, compared with 33.7 thousand a year earlier, while 26.7 thousand were women, compared with 30.5 thousand previously. Across age groups, the youth unemployment rate (aged 15–24) rose by 4.0 percentage points to 22.8%, while the rate for those aged 25–49 fell to 6.2% from 8.2%, and for those aged 50–74 declined to 5.2% from 6.9%. Meanwhile, the employment rate rose to 68.0% from 67.4% a year earlier, while the number of employed increased by 4.7 thousand to 686.3 thousand. The labour force participation rate eased to 73.2% from 73.7% a year earlier.
2026-05-15
Estonian Jobless Rate Lowest in 2 Years
The unemployment rate in Estonia dropped to 6.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 7.4% in the same period a year earlier. The latest figure marked the lowest jobless rate since the fourth quarter of 2023, as the number of unemployed persons fell by 8.2 thousand from a year ago to 47.1 thousand. Unemployment among women decreased to 5% from 7.2%, while the rate for men increased to 7.8% from 7.5% in the same period a year ago. Across age groups, the youth unemployment rate, aged 15 to 24, rose by 1.4 percentage points to 18.1%, while the rate for those aged 25–49 fell to 6.2% from 7.4% and for those aged 50–74 declined to 4.3% from 5.2%. Meanwhile, employment decreased by 6.2 thousand to 688.6 thousand and the labor force participation rate fell by 0.4 percentage points to 68.1%. For full-year 2025, the unemployment rate averaged 7.5%, compared with 7.6% in 2024, with the average number of unemployed falling by 900 to 56,200.
2026-02-16
Estonian Jobless Rate Lowest in Near 2 Years
Estonia’s unemployment rate declined to 7.1% in the third quarter of 2025, down from 7.4% in the same period a year earlier. This marked the lowest jobless rate since the fourth quarter of 2023, as the number of unemployed persons fell by 2.1 thousand year-on-year to 54.2 thousand. Meanwhile, the employment rate edged up to 69.7% from 69.1%, with the number of employed persons rising by 3 thousand to 705.1 thousand. The employment growth was driven mainly by young and middle-aged workers: 451.2 thousand people aged 15–24 and 25–49 were employed, an increase of 3,800 from a year earlier. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate increased to 75.1% from 74.6%.
2025-11-14