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Ireland Unemployment Rate

Unemployment as % of total labor force  SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS

4.63% +0.32pp (+7.5%)
Year 2025 Rank #77 Global Peak 18.80% (1987) Source World Bank

Ireland Unemployment Rate (1985–2025)

Overview

Ireland's unemployment rate stood at 4.63% in 2025, a rise of +0.32pp from 2024. The IMF projects 4.58% by 2025. Ireland ranked 77th globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2030* IMF 4.81% - -
2029* IMF 4.78% - -
2028* IMF 4.67% - -
2027* IMF 4.60% - -
2026* IMF 4.56% - -
2025* IMF 4.58% - -
2025 4.63% +0.32pp #77
2024 4.30% −0.01pp #78
2023 4.24% −0.22pp #81
2022 4.47% −1.79pp #79
2021 6.36% +0.52pp #102
2020 5.62% +0.64pp #82
2019 4.95% −0.86pp #87
2018 5.74% −1.02pp #104
2017 6.71% −1.68pp #111
2016 8.37% −1.55pp #126
2015 9.91% −1.98pp #138
2014 11.86% −1.92pp #149
2013 13.74% −1.75pp #158
2012 15.45% +0.04pp #165
2011 15.35% +0.75pp #164
Show all years (1985-2025)
* IMF World Economic Outlook projection

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +77.5% GDP growth 16.3% C/A balance 12.3%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Ireland matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ireland's unemployment rate?

Ireland's unemployment rate was 4.63% in 2025. Ranked 77th globally. This represents a 7.5% increase from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in Ireland?

Ireland's unemployment rate peaked at 18.80% in 1987.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in Ireland?

The lowest unemployment rate in Ireland was 3.68% in 2001.

How does Ireland rank in unemployment rate?

Ireland ranks 77th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for unemployment rate?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected unemployment rate of Ireland in 2025?

Ireland's unemployment rate is projected to reach 4.58% by 2025 based on IMF projection.

What is the unemployment rate of Ireland in 2025?

The unemployment rate of Ireland in 2025 was 4.63%. This ranks 77th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Ireland Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/ireland/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_ireland_unemployment-rate, title = {Ireland Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/ireland/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }