Costa Rica Unemployment rate (annual) in Costa Rica

International Monetary Fund · Annual · Importance

IMF forecast (WEO): 2026: 7.0% 2027: 7.2% 2028: 7.5% 2029: 8.0% 2030: 8.0% 2031: 8.0%
6.0% (1999) ANUAL · % · Annual · CSV
Period%
Jan 1999 6.0%
Jan 1998 5.6%
Jan 1997 5.7%
Jan 1996 6.2%
Jan 1995 5.2%
Jan 1994 4.2%
Jan 1993 4.1%
Jan 1992 4.1%
Jan 1991 5.5%
Jan 1990 4.6%

About this indicator

Source
International Monetary Fund
Frequency
Annual
Release
Published annually, covering the full year and subject to revision.
What it is
Measures the share of Costa Rica's labour force that is without work and actively seeking a job. Published by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), it is the benchmark indicator of the country's labour market.
How it's calculated
It is drawn from the INEC Continuous Employment Survey, applying the ILO definition of an unemployed person (without a job, available and actively searching). It is expressed as an annual percentage of the economically active population.
Market implications
Its trend signals the momentum of the economy and underpins household consumption and income. A high reading suggests weak labour demand and weighs on Central Bank of Costa Rica policy, though the managed-float colón tends to react only modestly.
Limitations
The significant weight of informality and underemployment limits the reading of the unemployment rate as a measure of job quality. Survey data are subject to sampling error, seasonality and revision.