In 2024, global employment expanded in line with a growing labour force, keeping the global unemployment rate steady at 5 per cent, similar to that of 2023. Slowing productivity growth remains a major bottleneck with respect to expanding the opportunities for decent work. On the back of stable unemployment rates, the global jobs gap, ILO’s summary estimate for the overall number of jobs missing, stood around 402.4 million in 2024. The jobs gap
includes about 186 million who are unemployed, 137 million who are part of the potential labour force, mainly discouraged workers, and around 79 million who would like to work but who have obligations, such as care, that hinder them from taking up employment. Against a gradual decline in labour force participation, the jobs gap has continued its pre-pandemic downward trend but is expected to stabilize over the next two years.