The unemployment rate in Colombia stood at 9.2% in February, according to the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE). The figure represents a drop from 10.3% in the same month of 2025 and confirms an improvement at the start of the year, despite contrary forecasts from some sectors following the significant increase in the minimum wage decreed by the government in December.
In fact, the figure released today marks the lowest level for a month of February since 2001. The number reflects a recovery in the labor market driven by job creation, although structural gaps and weaknesses persist, with a now traditional emphasis on the high rate of informality, which exceeds 50% of jobs.
Unemployment fell in February in Colombia
The 9.2% recorded in February represents a new boost to the government’s labor policy, in an employment trend in the country that, despite difficulties, continues to post positive months. The 1.1 percentage point reduction compared to the previous year shows sustained progress in the recovery of the labor market.
The decline was accompanied by an increase in employment. Based on these figures, it is understood that last month there were 2.45 million people unemployed in Colombia, while the number of employed people exceeded 24 million, with an increase of more than 600,000 employed compared to February 2025.
This indicates that the improvement is not solely due to lower participation, but to the effective creation of jobs, despite certain negative forecasts issued by the sector following the controversial decision by the government to increase the minimum wage by 23.7% for this year.
In the main cities, the trend was similar. The 13 metropolitan areas also recorded an unemployment rate of 9.2%, showing a more balanced performance across urban regions.
En febrero de 2026, la tasa de desocupación se ubicó en 9,2%, una variación estadísticamente significativa frente a febrero de 2025, cuando fue del 10,3%. pic.twitter.com/37iLc2DP5l
— DANE Colombia (@DANE_Colombia) March 30, 2026
The momentum of formal employment
Despite the persistence of historically high informality above 50% among employed people, growth in February was marked by a greater weight of formal employment. Private employees accounted for the majority of new jobs, suggesting a rebound in hiring in the private sector.
This behavior contrasts with what was observed in January, when the drop in unemployment was more closely linked to a reduction in the labor force. At that time, although the rate was also low for the start of the year, job creation showed weaker signs.
In February, by contrast, the data point to a more solid recovery. Sectors linked to professional services, technical activities, and the public sector led job creation, reinforcing the dynamics of the labor market.
The evolution of employment was not homogeneous across sectors. Some activities drove growth, while others recorded declines.
Professional, scientific, and technical activities, along with the public sector, stood out as the main job generators. In contrast, sectors such as agriculture and transportation showed declines in the number of employed.
This behavior confirms a trend toward a greater concentration of employment in urban and service sectors, while traditional activities face greater difficulties in sustaining their employment levels.