JAKARTA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country, has seen its unemployment rate rise by tens of thousands to 7.28 million people as of February this year, driven by a surge in workforce growth, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced Monday.
According to BPS data, the number of unemployed individuals now accounts for 4.76 percent of the 153.05 million-strong workforce.
"Not all of the workforce has been absorbed into the labor market, leaving 7.28 million people currently unemployed. Some have resigned from their jobs and have yet to find new employment, while others are new entrants to the workforce who have not secured jobs," BPS Head Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti said at a press conference.
Indonesia has recently faced massive layoffs, particularly in the textile industry. Widyasanti cited government data showing that most laid-off workers still unemployed were from the industrial and commercial sectors.
The BPS also reported that Indonesia's economic growth in the first quarter of 2025 has slowed to 4.87 percent, the lowest rate since 2021. ■