Sri Lanka’s unemployment rate rose to 4.0% during the second quarter of 2026, up from the 3.8% recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025. The economic update highlights a shift in national labor conditions over the twelve-month period.
The data, issued in the Weekly Economic Indicators report by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, also showed a simultaneous increase in broader workforce engagement. The country’s labour force participation rate reached 50.0% in Q2 2026, climbing from the 49.3% documented in Q2 2025.
Key Developments
- Sri Lanka’s unemployment rate moved up to 4.0% in Q2 2026 compared to 3.8% in Q2 2025.
- The national labour force participation rate increased to 50.0% in Q2 2026 from 49.3% in the same quarter of the previous year.
- The latest statistics were confirmed through the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s Weekly Economic Indicators report.
The findings published by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka track concurrent increases in both workforce participation levels and overall joblessness between the second quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026.