Breaking Update

Slight Drop in Rate of Labor Force Working in January

Israel's labor force participation rate dipped slightly to 62.5% in February 2026, while the unemployment rate also saw a small decline.

Economy

Jerusalem, 29 March, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics released the data from the Labor Force Survey for February 2026 (seasonally adjusted data), among those aged 15 and over).

Percentage in the labor force – 62.5% (62.7% in January).

Employment rate (percentage of persons employed in the total population) – 60.8% (unchanged from January).

Percentage of unemployed in the labor force – 2.7% (3.1% in January).

Percentage of 64-25-year-olds in the labor force – 81.2% (81.5% in January).

Employment rate among 64-25-year-olds – 79.3% (79.1% in January).

Percentage of unemployed in the labor force among 64-25-year-olds – 2.3% (2.9% in January).

Percentage of persons employed who work on a full-scale basis normally, of the total number of persons employed – 78.0% (77.9% in January).

Original data for February 2026

In February 2026 (compared to January 2026, among those aged 15 and over): (For monthly schedules, Labor Force Survey 02/2026)

Percentage in the labor force – 62.3% (62.5% in January).

Employment rate (percentage of persons employed in the total population) – 60.7% (60.5% in January).

Percentage of unemployed in the labor force – 2.6% (3.2% in January).

Employment rate excluding those temporarily absent from work all week for economic reasons – 57.9% (60.2% in January).

Percentage temporarily absent from work all week by selected reasons: economic reasons – 55.5% (9.1% in January), military reserve duty – 7.0% (9.5% in January), other – 0.5% (1.0% in January).

Percentage of men temporarily absent from work all week by selected reasons: economic reasons – 56.0% (15.3% in the previous month), military reserve duty – 13.9% (19.8% in January), other – 0.6% (there were none in January).

Percentage of women temporarily absent from work all week by selected reasons: for economic reasons – 55.0% (4.6% in the previous month), military reserve duty – 1.5% (2.1% in January), other – 0.5% (1.3% in January).

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