Unemployment: further increase of 0.9% in the number of job seekers in the third quarter

The job market remains depressed in France. This Wednesday, the public employment agency, France Travail, disclosed the figures for the third quarter. Whatever indicator is chosen, the trend is worrying.

Thus, the number of people registered in category A, that is to say having no activity, stands at around 3.35 million. That is 30,400 more people over the last three months (+0.9%).

Over one year, their number jumped by 2.1%. Same situation for the aggregate bringing together all people required to look for work (categories A, B and C), the number of which increased by 0.8% in the third quarter and by 2.4% over one year. The statistical service of the Ministry of Labor (Dares) calls for taking these figures with hindsight.

“These developments are affected by the effects of the law for full employment and therefore do not reflect economic developments,” he wrote in his press release. Passed at the end of 2023, this law now requires all RSA recipients to register with France Travail. The government hopes to facilitate their return to employment.

The only downside is that this reform had a notable impact on the indicators. » READ ALSO - End of the “RSA for young people”, cycle paths removed: now on the right, the metropolis of Lyon marks its break with the environmentalist heritage Negative trend The fact remains that this law does not alone explain the current bad trend. “Since April 2026, it is estimated that the decree relating to the sanctions applicable to those registered with France Travail no longer has a significant impact on changes in the number of registered members from month to month but still affects changes over a year,” recognizes Dares.

According to its estimates, without taking into account the automatic registration with France Travail of RSA recipients and young people in the integration process since January 2025, the increase in category A is reduced to 0.3% over the quarter and to 0.9% over one year. The situation is particularly worrying for those under 25. The number of young people without any activity increases by 2.4% over the quarter and 2% over the year.

Also taking into account those who have reduced activity, the number of these registrants increases by 1.5% over the quarter and by 3.4% compared to the summer of 2025. Among 25-49 year olds, the increase in the number of registered with France Travail is 1% over the quarter but 3.5% for those who have no activity, and 0.9% over the quarter and 3.2% over one year taking into account those who have reduced activity. Seniors aged 50 and over, on the other hand, did not experience an increase in registrations, and even a decrease for category A alone, of 0.1% over the quarter and 0.8% over one year.

Taking into account reduced activity, the figures for this age group are +0.2% over the quarter and stability over the year (0.0%).

Machine-translated from French