Sri Lanka’s youth unemployment rate reached 17.8% in the second quarter of 2026, with the rate among young women rising to 22.4%, according to the latest data released by the Department of Census and Statistics.
The Labour Force Survey, conducted across 6,250 housing units nationwide between April and June, estimated that 150,684 people aged 15 to 24 were unemployed.
The unemployment rate among young men stood at 15.5%, compared with 22.4% among young women, highlighting a significant gender gap in employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, the overall unemployment rate among people aged 25 to 29 was 12.1%. The rate stood at 7.7% for men in this age group, while it reached 19.7% among women.
The figures also showed that unemployment remained a challenge among people with higher educational qualifications. Among those with G.C.E. Advanced Level qualifications or above, the unemployment rate was 6.7%, with the rate standing at 3.9% for men and 9.6% for women.
