US Unemployment Rate Hits Six-Month Peak of 5.2% in April

India's Unemployment Rate Rises to Six-Month High in April 2026

India's unemployment rate rose to a six-month high of 5.2 percent in April 2026, up from 5.1 percent in March, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) monthly bulletin released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

The increase in headline unemployment was driven entirely by rural India, where the unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent in April from 4.3 percent in March. In contrast, urban unemployment declined from 6.8 percent to 6.6 percent, the lowest level recorded since April 2025.

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The improvement in cities was particularly visible among women. Urban female unemployment fell to 8.5 percent in April, down from 9.0 percent in March, marking a one-year low. Urban male unemployment also declined to 5.9 percent from 6.1 percent.

At the national level, however, women continued to face a more challenging labour market. Overall female unemployment rose to 5.4 percent in April from 5.3 percent in March and 5.0 percent a year earlier, while male unemployment increased to 5.1 percent from 5.0 percent in March but remained slightly below the 5.2 percent recorded in April 2025.

The rise in unemployment coincided with a decline in labour force participation. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for people aged 15 years and above fell to 55.0 percent in April from 55.4 percent in March, while the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) declined to 52.2 percent from 52.6 percent.

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Female labour force participation also moderated. The overall female LFPR dropped to eight month low of 33.9 percent in April from 34.4 percent in March, with urban female participation slipping to the lowest level in this series of 25 percent from 25.2 percent.

The divergence indicates that job creation remains uneven, with cities benefiting from relatively stronger economic activity while rural areas continue to face pressure.