The unemployment rate in Colombia continued its descending path and was 8.6% in June 2025, according to the most recent DANE report, which translates into a significant reduction of 1.7 percentage points compared to 10.3% recorded in the same month of 2024and represents the lowest level for a month of June since the mid -last decade.
This improvement in the unemployment rate was accompanied by an increase in the population occupied in 831,000 people, which led the national total to 23.75 million workers and although it translates into a positive fact For the economy, leave on the table once again the challenges that persist in the labor market.
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A deeper analysis of the data reveals that the Colombian labor market remains marked by deep structural fragilities, with a growth led by self -employment, which increases pressure on the social security system, low quality jobs and informality that affects more than half of those employed.
A rebound led by informality
Ptoto better explain this report, the first thing to say is that growth The employment was mainly promoted by self -employed workers, which increased by 443,000 people, and for day laborers and pawns, whose figure rose in 144,000 compared to June 2024.
Labor informality affects five out of 10 Colombians.
There was also an increase of 110,000 employees in the public sector, and an increase of 305,000 salaried workers in private companies; While on the contrary, the category of employers fell into 62,000 people, and family workers without remuneration were reduced by 118,000.
This, according to experts, suggests that, although employment is growing, it does so mainly in segments of low job stability and limited social protection, without strengthening business segments that generate more sustainable employment.
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In this context, it should be noted that labor informality remained high, with 55.1% of those employed working in informal conditions and although there was a slight reduction compared to 55.8% in June 2024, the absolute number of informal workers increased by 251,000 people, reaching a total of 13.08 million; While formal jobs also grew (+580,000), but to a lesser relative proportion.
Women lead recovery
Sex analysis reveals that women contributed most of the new jobs Created in the last year, since its number increased by 491,000 employed, compared to 340,000 new male jobs. In addition, female growth was mainly in sectors such as education, health, professional services and manufactures.
Informality and labor market.
However, women continue to face greater structural obstacles, in which their unemployment rate was 10.8%, compared to 6.9% in men, which represents a gap of 3.9 percentage points; Which adds to female informality exceeds 56% and domestic employment, highly precarious, remains one of the main sources of occupation for them.
As for inactivity, the number of women outside the workforce remained practically the same (10.06 million), while among men it increased slightly and household care remains a barrier in which 7.09 million women declared devoted to Households, compared to only 884,000 men.
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On the other hand, youth unemployment remains one of the great concerns of the labor market, since although it fell compared to the previous year, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 and 28 was 15.3%, almost double the national average. In addition, its occupation rate is much lower, and its transition to the formal market is still difficult.
In contrast, workers over 55 increased their participation in the market, with 121,000 new employed; generating a trend that can respond both to the increase in life expectancy and to the need to complement income from the difficulties of the pension system.
Labor market in Colombia.
Intermediate capitals push
By regions, the so -called “other headwaters” (intermediate cities outside the 13 main metropolitan areas) contributed the highest relative growth of employment, with a 6%increase, equivalent to 360,000 new jobs. In contrast, large cities grew 2.6% and rural areas, 3%.
As for unemployment, Quibdó (26.2%), Riohacha (14.5%) and Ibagué (12.9%) registered the highest rates in the country and, on the contrary, the lowest were observed in Bucaramanga (7.3%), Medellín (7.6%) and Bogotá (8.3%). Nationally, All geographical domains reduced their unemployment rate statistically significantly.
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However, regional informality remains a challenge and in cities such as Sincelejo (68%), Valledupar (63.6%), Cúcuta (61.3%) and Santa Marta (58.8%), more than half of those employed work in informal conditions. Even in Bogotá, the city with less informality, this was 35.6%.
Industry leads
By branches of economic activity, the sectors that contributed the most to the increase had as the protagonist to the Manufacturing Industries (+316,000), followed by Public Administration, Education and Health (+241,000), Public Services (+137,000) and Professional Activities (+112,000); while financial activities (-14,000), real estate activities (-40,000), artistic activities (-68,000) and information and communications (-124,000) had red numbers.
Informality and labor market.
Thus, Dane data for June 2025 show that Colombia is making a recovery of employment in terms of volume; But that work quality problems are maintained, since the advance is concentrated in occupations with low stability, without health coverage or pensions, and with high rotation.
In the same way, the gender gap, the youth lag and the high informality in intermediate regions configure a scenario where the figures improve, but the conditions remain vulnerable, with what which can be said that more working, but it is not yet working better.
Daniel Hernández Naranjo
Portfolio journalist
