Hungary's long-term unemployment below EU average

In 2025, Hungary saw a notable decrease in long-term unemployment, with 33.4% of jobless individuals actively seeking work for a year or more. This figure represents a 1.9 percentage point reduction compared to the previous year, indicating a positive trend in the labor market.

Despite the improved rate of long-term unemployment, the average duration individuals spend searching for a job remained substantial. In 2025, this average stood at 12.8 months, showing a slight increase from the prior year. The data also revealed that the rates for men and women moved in parallel, with men's long-term unemployment at 1.6% and women's at 1.4%.

Internationally, Hungary's performance in long-term unemployment is favorable. Following the 2008 global economic crisis, rates increased across the European Union. While Hungary's trend reversed from 2011, the EU's continued to rise until 2013. Since 2012, Hungary's long-term unemployment rate has consistently been lower than the EU average.

With a rate of 1.4% in 2025, Hungary ranked 12th among EU member states for long-term unemployment. The EU average for the same year was 2%, though significant variations existed among member states. Greece reported the highest rate at 6.5%, while the Netherlands had the lowest at 0.5%.