Finland unemployment rate October 2025 has climbed to its highest point since national records began in 2009, reflecting growing pressure in the labor market even as employment numbers also rose. According to new figures released by Statistics Finland, the national unemployment rate reached 10.3 percent in October, marking the sharpest level recorded in the current statistical series.
The data shows a mixed reality unfolding across the country. While more people entered the workforce, unemployment grew faster than job creation, largely driven by young people actively seeking work and a rise in part-time employment.
The total number of unemployed people between the ages of 15 and 74 increased by 48,000 compared to October last year. This brought the total number of jobless individuals to 276,000 nationwide.
Women were affected more heavily than men. The number of unemployed women rose by 37,000, while unemployed men increased by 12,000 over the same period. This suggests that job losses and labor market instability are hitting women disproportionately in the current cycle.
At the same time, employment figures also moved upward. Finland recorded 25,000 more people in work than in October 2024, bringing the total number of employed persons to 2,611,000.
Statistics Finland senior actuary Pertti Taskinen explained that a major reason behind the rising unemployment was a surge in job-seeking activity among students and young adults.
“Youth participation in the labor market increased clearly in October as more students began actively looking for work. This understandably pushed unemployment higher because many entered the labor force before finding jobs. Unemployment also rose among people aged 55 to 64,” Taskinen said during a briefing in Kajaani.
This trend reflects a change in behavior among young people who are no longer waiting until graduation to seek work, possibly due to rising living costs and student expenses.
Youth unemployment rose sharply and now represents one of the most concerning trends in the report.
The unemployment rate among people aged 15 to 24 jumped by 6.3 percentage points year on year, reaching 22.5 percent. In practical terms, this means nearly one in four young people actively looking for work was unable to find employment in October.
Even more telling is that 11.6 percent of all people in this age group were unemployed as a share of the total population, not just among those in the labor force.
Despite rising unemployment, employed women actually increased in number. Statistics Finland reported that 24,000 more women were in work compared to last year.
The employment rate among women aged 20 to 64 rose to 76.7 percent, an increase of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, the employment rate for men in the same age group dropped by 0.5 percentage points, settling at 76.0 percent.
This shift suggests economic changes in Finland may be favoring jobs that traditionally employ more women, particularly in the public sector and care-related roles.
Another key finding in the report was the surge in part-time employment.
A total of 539,000 people worked part-time in October, which represents 20.7 percent of all employed people. This is the highest figure recorded in Finland’s employment history.
While part-time work offers flexibility, rising numbers often point to underemployment, where individuals want more hours but cannot secure full-time positions.
The number of people outside the labor force declined significantly. In October, 1,284,000 people were classified as outside the workforce, a decrease of 60,000 compared to the previous year.
Women made up most of this change, with 56,000 fewer women listed outside the labor force. For men, the number declined by 5,000.
This indicates that more people are actively trying to work, even when job availability remains limited.
Statistics Finland noted that most employment growth occurred within the public sector. This suggests that government-funded roles are currently keeping employment figures afloat, while private sector hiring remains weak.
If public job creation slows, unemployment could rise further unless private companies return to hiring at scale.
Finland now faces a labor market where more people want to work, but too few stable jobs are available. Rising participation is positive, but the inability to convert that interest into employment highlights structural problems in hiring, business growth, and workforce matching.
Unless economic conditions improve, unemployment pressure is likely to remain high into winter.
