Venezuela: jobs and pay

What is the unemployment rate in Venezuela?

Venezuela's unemployment rate was 8.1% in the first half of 2025, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE) labour force tables, up from 7.9% in the first half of 2024. INE counts about 1.13 million unemployed people out of an active population of about 13.9 million.

The figures come from INE's Household Sample Survey (Encuesta de Hogares por Muestreo) and cover people aged 15 and over in the first half of each year. INE notes that population figures from 2015 onward take migration into account. The ILO's modelled estimate, used by the World Bank, is lower at 5.3% for 2025 because it uses a different method.

Official sources: INE: Labour force basic tables, 1999-2025 (xlsx)

How many people work in the informal sector in Venezuela?

41.9% of employed people in Venezuela worked in the informal sector in the first half of 2025, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). That is about 5.46 million out of 13.02 million employed people, while 58.1% worked in the formal sector. The informal share was 42.5% in the first half of 2024 and 45.5% in 2023.

INE's informal sector includes non-professional own-account workers, employers and employees in small businesses, and domestic service. The figures come from the Household Sample Survey for people aged 15 and over, and are published for the first half of each year.

Official sources: INE: Labour force basic tables, 1999-2025 (xlsx)

What is the labour force participation rate in Venezuela?

The activity rate in Venezuela was 55.5% in the first half of 2025, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), down from 56.8% a year earlier. Of about 25.1 million people aged 15 and over, about 13.9 million were working or looking for work and about 11.2 million were inactive.

Among the inactive, INE counts students (9.9% of the population aged 15 and over), people doing household work (18.0%) and people unable to work (1.7%). The activity rate is the share of the population aged 15 and over in the labour force. The data come from INE's Household Sample Survey.

Official sources: INE: Labour force basic tables, 1999-2025 (xlsx)

How much is the minimum wage in Venezuela?

According to the ILO, the statutory minimum wage in Venezuela was 130 VES a month in 2024. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2012.

What is the unemployment rate in Venezuela?

According to the ILO, the unemployment rate in Venezuela was 5.3% in 2025. The peak was 10.7% in 2005 and the low 5.0% in 2017. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 6.0%, and Venezuela placed 16th highest of 29. Worldwide: 80th of 174.

What is the youth unemployment rate in Venezuela?

According to the ILO, unemployment among 15 to 24 year olds in Venezuela was 10.4% in 2025. Its high point since 2005 was 2005, at 18.2%; its low point was 2024, at 10.2%. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 14.0%, and Venezuela placed 19th highest of 29. Of 174 countries with 2025 data, 101st highest.

What is the labour force participation rate in Venezuela?

According to the ILO, the labour force participation rate in Venezuela was 51.9% in 2025. Its high point since 2005 was 2006, at 64.9%; its low point was 2020, at 48.2%. Latin America & Caribbean median: 63.4%; Venezuela is 29th highest of 29. Of 174 countries with 2025 data, 147th highest.

What is female labour force participation in Venezuela?

According to the ILO, the labour force participation rate for women in Venezuela was 37.1% in 2025. The peak was 50.0% in 2006 and the low 35.3% in 2022. Latin America & Caribbean median: 52.5%; Venezuela is 29th highest of 29. Of 174 countries with 2025 data, 151st highest.

What is the employment rate in Venezuela?

The ILO puts the employment to population ratio in Venezuela at 49.2% in 2025. The peak was 60.3% in 2008 and the low 44.5% in 2020. Latin America & Caribbean median: 59.4%; Venezuela is 28th highest of 29. Worldwide: 141st of 174.

How common is self-employment in Venezuela?

According to the ILO, the share of workers who are own-account or contributing family workers in Venezuela was 37.3% in 2025. That is the highest since at least 2005. It is 9th highest of 29 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 29.8%. Of 174 countries with 2025 data, 71st highest.

How many people in Venezuela are employees?

The latest figure from the ILO, for 2025, is 59.6%. No year since 2005 has been lower. Latin America & Caribbean median: 64.8%; Venezuela is 19th highest of 29. World rank, highest first: 98th of 174.