The Biobío Region recorded an unemployment rate of 10.7% during the June-August 2026 moving quarter, representing an increase of 0.8 percentage points compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the Quarterly Employment Bulletin of the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
The result is explained by a decrease in employed persons, while the labor force showed virtually no variation. In the period analyzed, the region counted 786,788 people in the labor force, of whom 702,791 were employed and 83,997 were unemployed.
In year-over-year terms, employed persons decreased 0.9%, equivalent to 6,091 fewer people. At the same time, unemployed persons increased 8.0%, which meant 6,207 more people in this condition.
Education and manufacturing concentrate the declines
By economic sector, the main negative contributions to regional employment came from education, with a decrease of 10.9%, and manufacturing, which fell 8.3%.
In contrast, some activities recorded increases. Trade grew 8.2%, while accommodation and food service increased 18.8% over twelve months.
The behavior also showed differences by sex. Male employment decreased 3.1%, with a significant contribution from manufacturing, which fell 11.7% among men. In the case of employed women, however, an increase of 2.1% was recorded, mainly explained by the growth of trade, which reached 22.0%.
Less formal employment and greater informality
Another relevant finding of the report is the behavior of occupational categories. The decline in employment was mainly driven by formal salaried workers, who decreased 3.5%, and domestic service personnel, who fell 7.2%.
At the same time, informal salaried workers increased 12.0%, while the unpaid family worker category grew 39.5%, although the INE classifies this last estimate as unreliable.
Labor informality thus showed a significant increase. Informal employed persons increased 6.6% over twelve months, equivalent to 12,082 additional people, bringing the informal employment rate to 27.9%, 2.0 percentage points above the same period of 2025.
Informality increased among both men and women, although with greater intensity among the latter. The female informal employment rate reached 30.1%, compared to 26.2% recorded among men.
Young people concentrate the employment decline
By age group, the 15 to 34 segment was the only one that presented a negative contribution, with a decrease of 7.4% in employed persons. In the opposite direction, the group aged 55 and over increased 3.0%.
Among men, the largest decline occurred precisely among those aged 15 to 34, with a decrease of 8.0%. Among women, the 35 to 54 age bracket recorded an increase of 4.9%.
Involuntary part-time work increases
The bulletin also shows signs related to the quantity and quality of employment. The average hours actually worked reached 34.8 hours per week, with a decrease of 2.6% over twelve months.
In turn, persons employed part-time involuntarily increased 33.4%, while those working part-time voluntarily decreased 2.7%.
The combined rate of unemployment and involuntary part-time work—the SU2 indicator—reached 18.0%, increasing 2.6 percentage points in a year. Meanwhile, the combined rate of unemployment and potential labor force (SU3) reached 21.2%.
In the national context, Biobío recorded an unemployment rate of 10.7%, below Ñuble, which reached 11.2%, but above the national rate of 9.6%. Additionally, Biobío was among the regions with the largest year-over-year increases in informal employed persons, with a growth of 6.6%.
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