Unemployment rate
6.2%
2025 value in INE's Unemployment Rate indicator.
Labor market
Unemployment rate
6.2%
Cabo Verde recorded an unemployment rate of 6.2% in 2025 according to INE's Unemployment Rate indicator. This is a positive figure for the country because it confirms a decline compared with recent years and points to a more favorable labor market in a context shaped by economic recovery, tourism, services and investment.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatistica de Cabo Verde (INE), Unemployment Rate indicator
Data reviewed in July 2026
6.2%
Unemployment rate
Source
INE
Instituto Nacional de Estatistica de Cabo Verde.
Main reading
Low
A rate at this level signals favorable labor-market performance.
Theme
Jobs
A central indicator for income, inclusion and economic dynamics.
Overview
The 6.2% unemployment rate indicated by INE for 2025 places Cabo Verde's labor market in a favorable position compared with recent years. The indicator suggests that the economy has been able to create and maintain jobs, especially in areas linked to services, tourism, commerce, construction, public administration and related activities.
Why it matters
Unemployment is one of the most direct indicators of an economy's ability to turn growth into concrete opportunities for households. When the rate falls, it tends to reflect stronger productive participation, better use of skills and more stable household income.
Balanced reading
The 6.2% value is good news, but it should be read alongside other indicators, such as youth employment, informality, job quality, wages, female participation and differences between islands. A complete reading of the labor market requires looking not only at how many people work, but also at the stability, productivity and income of those jobs.
Employment background in Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde's labor market is shaped by the small size of the economy, the importance of services, internal mobility between islands and strong external links through tourism, transport, remittances and the diaspora. Job creation tends to follow cycles of investment, tourism activity, construction, commerce and public policies for professional qualification.
Methodological notes
The unemployment rate measures the share of the labor force that is without work, available for work and seeking employment, according to statistical criteria used by INE. The historical series below uses only INE's Unemployment Rate indicator from the INE API. The indicator does not by itself measure job quality, informality or wage levels. It should therefore be interpreted together with other labor-market data.
Unemployment rate history
Annual rate in %, according to INE's Unemployment Rate indicator. The public series includes 2000, 2005 and consecutive years from 2006 to 2025.
Recent values
| Year | Source | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | INE | 6.2% |
| 2024 | INE | 8.0% |
| 2023 | INE | 10.3% |
| 2022 | INE | 11.0% |