BPS: Open unemployment edged down in August 2026

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded an open unemployment rate of 4.75% in August 2026, down 0.09 percentage points from August 2025 year on year.

“There were 7.38 million unemployed people in August 2026, equivalent to an open unemployment rate of 4.75%. This was lower than in August 2025,” M Edy Mahmud, BPS Deputy for Statistical Balance and Analysis, said at a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday.

Edy said the decline in the open unemployment rate was largely recorded among female workers, whose rate was 4.93%, an increase of 0.09% compared with August 2025. The rate among men was 4.64% in August this year.

“Overall, the open unemployment rate in August 2026 was 4.75%, meaning that around five in every 100 people in the labour force were unemployed,” Edy said.

BPS recorded a labour force of 155.37 million people in August 2026, based on the National Labour Force Survey (Sakernas), an increase of 1.366 million compared with August 2025.

Of that total, 147.986 million people were employed, an increase of 1.443 million between August 2025 and August 2026.

Among those employed, 99.847 million were full-time workers. Part-time workers and underemployed workers numbered 35.295 million and 12.844 million, respectively.

BPS defines full-time workers as those working at least 35 hours a week.

Part-time workers are those working fewer than 35 hours a week who are not seeking work and are not available to take another job.

Underemployed workers are those working fewer than 35 hours a week who are still seeking or available to take additional work.