The Biobío Region faces a complex labor scenario. Although the number of employed people remained practically stable during the April-June 2026 quarter, unemployment rose again and labor informality continues to grow, especially among women. This is revealed by the latest regional employment bulletin prepared by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
The unemployment rate reached 10.4%, increasing 1.1 percentage points compared to the same period last year. In simple terms, there are now 82,813 people looking for work in the region, almost 10,000 more than a year ago.
One of the most striking data points is that, although more people are participating in the labor market, job creation has been practically nil. The number of employed people increased by just 0.1% in twelve months, equivalent to only 623 additional jobs.
More employment, but of lower quality
Behind the figures, a concerning reality emerges: a large part of the new jobs correspond to self-employment and informal employment.
Self-employed workers grew by 10.8%, while informal salaried workers increased by 11.6%. At the same time, formal salaried jobs decreased by 4.5% and the number of employers fell by 12.3%.
Labor informality continues to advance in the region. Currently, 28.3% of employed people work under informal conditions, a figure representing an increase of 3.1 percentage points compared to the previous year. In absolute numbers, there are 201,997 people working outside labor formality, that is, 22,126 more than a year ago.
Women lead the rise in informality
The report shows that women have been the main protagonists of employment growth over the past year, with a 0.9% increase in female employment. However, a large part of these positions correspond to informal jobs.
The female informal employment rate reached 30.8%, far exceeding the male rate, which stood at 26.4%. Furthermore, informal employment among women increased by 19.3% compared to the same period in 2025.
In parallel, female unemployment stood at 11.3%, while male unemployment reached 9.7%.
Commerce sustains regional employment
Commerce consolidated itself as the main driver of employment growth in Biobío, with a 9.1% increase in employed people. Other service activities also stood out, growing by 15.7%.
In contrast, sectors traditionally relevant to the regional economy showed setbacks. Teaching recorded a 12.8% drop in employment, while public administration decreased by 8.2%.
Young people remain lagging behind
Another relevant data point from the report is the deterioration of employment among the youngest. The group of people between 15 and 34 years old recorded an 8.5% drop in employment, being the only age group with a negative impact on regional employment growth.
In contrast, workers aged 55 and over experienced a 7.9% increase, consolidating themselves as the segment that contributed the most to the slight employment growth.
More people are looking for a new job
The so-called labor pressure rate —which considers those who are unemployed and those who, despite having a job, are looking for a better one— reached 18.3%, increasing 2.8 percentage points in one year.
Currently, more than 61,000 employed people are looking for another job, a figure that increased by 31.8% compared to the same period last year.
Additionally, people working involuntarily part-time grew by 48.3%, reflecting that a significant portion of workers would like to work more hours or access jobs with better conditions.
A labor market that is not taking off
The INE figures show that the Biobío labor market is going through a period of stagnation. Employment barely grows, unemployment continues to rise, and most new occupations correspond to informal or independent jobs.
Although more people are participating in the labor market, the challenge remains generating formal, stable, and quality jobs, especially for women and young people, two groups that most clearly reflect the difficulties the region currently faces.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Leave a comment