INEI: Employed population of the country grew 1.9% and reached 17 million 625 thousand 800 persons in the third quarter of 2025

The National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI), informed that during the third quarter of 2025, the employed population of the country increased by 1.9% (320 thousand 800 persons) compared to the same period of the last year, totalizing 17 million 625 thousand 800 persons. From this total, 55.7% (9 million 811 thousand) are men and 44.3% (7 million 814 thousand 800) women.

According to the technical report Peru: Behavior of the Indicators of the Labor Market at National level and in 27 cities prepared by the INEI, during this period, the male employed population grew 1.5% (140 thousand 100 persons) and the female one grew 2.4% (180 thousand 700 persons), compared to the third quarter of 2024.

Between July and September of 2025, the employed population of 45 years old and older registered the greater increase, with a variation of 4.4% (294 thousand 400 persons) compared to the same period of 2024. Followed by the persons under 25 years old with an increase of 0.8% (19 thousand 700 persons) and the group of 25 to 44 years old with an increase of 0.1% (6 thousand 600 persons).

During the period under analysis, the size of the company, the employed population increased in the companies of 11 to 50 employees by 10.0% (132 thousand persons). In the companies of 51 and more employees, the employment increased by 3.6% (126 thousand 700 persons), meanwhile that in the economic units of 1 to 10 employees increased 0.5% (62 thousand 100 persons), compared to the third quarter of 2024.

By comparing the third quarter of 2025 with the same period of the last year, the employed population increased in the primary sector (Agriculture, Fishing and Mining) by 6.3% (253 thousand 800 persons). In addition, it grew in the following sectors: Services 0.7% (51 thousand 200 persons), Construction 0,5% (5 thousand 900 persons), Manufacturing 0.3% (5 thousand 100 persons) and Commerce 0.1% (4 thousand 700 persons).

During the third quarter of 2025, the employed population registered a positive behavior in 19 of the 27 analyzed cities. It outstood the greater increases in Puerto Maldonado (7.8%), Arequipa (7.3%), Chachapoyas (6.2%), Moquegua (6.2%) and Pucallpa (6.1%).

On the other hand, the employment decreased in eight cities, among them Chimbote (-2.7%), Ayacucho (-2.1%), Huaraz (-1.8%), Puno (-1.7%) and Huancavelica (-1.6%), among the main ones.

During the period under analysis, the cities with the highest unemployment rates were: Moquegua (8.5%), Cajamarca (8.2%), Huancavelica (7.9%), Cusco (7.7%), Puno (7.4%), Juliaca (7.3%), Chimbote (7.2%) and Cerro de Pasco (7.0%).

On the other hand, the lower rates were observed in the cities of Iquitos (2.6%), Trujillo (2.9%) and in Tarapoto, Puerto Maldonado and Moyobamba (3.1% in each case).