Labor Market Remains Stable in November 2025

The latest data from the Central Statistical Office (KSH) for November 2025 paint a picture of a stable labor market. While employment figures declined slightly compared to the previous year, unemployment remains low by EU standards at 4.4 percent.

According to the latest KSH surveys, an average of 4.637 million people aged between 15 and 74 were in employment in Hungary in November 2025. The number of unemployed stood at 213,000, corresponding to a rate of 4.4 percent.

Development of the unemployment rate in Hungary (November 2022 to November 2025). Graph: KSH/Nemzeti Archívum/MTI

The picture was mixed in the rolling three-month period (September to November 2025). At 4.656 million, the number of people in employment was 36 thousand lower than in the same period of the previous year. While the number of men in employment fell by 35,000 to 2.45 million, employment among women remained virtually stable at 2.2 million.

There were 4.474 million people employed in the primary labor market. In addition, there were 75,000 people employed in public work programs and 106,000 Hungarians working abroad.

It is particularly noteworthy that the employment rate in the core age group (15–64 years) remained constant at 75.0 percent despite a general decline in the population.

Despite the stable rates, the report points to the duration of unemployment. On average, it takes 12.3 months to find a new job. Although a considerable proportion (42.1 percent) found new employment within three months, 33.9 percent of the unemployed are considered long-term unemployed (more than one year).

However, the trend among registered job seekers is encouraging, with their number falling to 221,000 by the end of November—a decline of 1.9 percent compared to the previous year.

Sándor Czomba, State Secretary for Employment Policy at the Ministry for National Economy, commented positively on the figures. He emphasized that the government is focusing on protecting jobs and increasing the disposable income of families. “We are building a peace economy instead of a war economy. That is the Hungarian way,” he explained.

The State Secretary named the following as the central pillars of this strategy:

Wage increases: Since January 2026, the minimum wage has risen by 11 percent and the guaranteed minimum wage by 7 percent.
Tax breaks: Mothers under the age of 30 and mothers under the age of 40 with two children are completely exempt from income tax.
Long-term comparison: Since 2010, the number of people in employment has risen by one million, while the average wage has tripled.

In order to further reduce unemployment, Hungary is increasingly focusing on subsidized programs, the state secretary stated. Thanks to the “Youth Guarantee Plus” program and other initiatives for people over 30, which are financed by EU funds amounting to 73 billion forints (190 million euros), around 60,000 people have been successfully integrated into the labor market to date, he added. These participants benefit from wage subsidies and support for housing and travel costs, among other things, emphasized Sándor Czomba.

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