Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament on Wednesday (26) that 365,951 people are currently unemployed in Sri Lanka.
Responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, the Prime Minister said the unemployment rate has continued to decline, according to the 2024 Labour Force Survey.
She noted that the jobless rate fell from 4.5% in the first quarter of 2024 to 3.8% in the corresponding quarter of 2025.
She said that the second quarter figure also dropped from 4.7% in 2024 to 3.8% in 2025.
Providing a breakdown by educational level, the Prime Minister said the unemployed population includes 103,308 individuals with qualifications below the G.C.E. Ordinary Level; 91,405 who passed the O/L examination; 128,984 who passed the G.C.E. Advanced Level; and 42,254 degree holders or those with higher educational qualifications.
The Prime Minister also said more than 12,000 graduates have already been offered employment, with plans underway to place the remaining graduates in keeping with the government’s policy statement.
On teacher recruitment, she informed Parliament that all pending court cases have concluded and that appointments will begin once the Court of Appeal issues its official notice.
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