Sri Lanka’s unemployment rate increased to 4% in the second quarter of 2026, representing an  increase of 0.2% compared to the corresponding quarter of last year and a rise of 0.3% from the first quarter of 2026, data from the Department of Census and Statistics shows.

Nominally, the number of unemployed people in Sri Lanka during the second quarter of this year was estimated at 340,240. The unemployment rate among women stood at 6.1%, while the rate among men was 2.8%, the department said.

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, the highest unemployment rate was recorded among those in the 15–24 age group in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s labour force participation rate increased to 50% in the second quarter of 2026, compared to 49.3% in the corresponding quarter of last year and 49.2% in the first quarter of this year.