The U.S. Wins the G-7 Unemployment-Improvement Race
Germany’s unemployment rate is at an all-time low, Japan’s is the lowest since 1994, Canada’s is the smallest since late 2008, and the last time the U.K. saw a jobless rate as low as 4.6 percent was in August 1975. Workers in France and Italy are less fortunate. While France’s rate climbed slightly in the past five years, Italy’s has risen more than one percentage point to 11.6 percent as the country still struggles to recover from the financial crisis. The U.S. is the big winner in job improvement: Its unemployment rate is at pre-financial-crisis levels, having decreased more in five years than that of any other Group of Seven country.
Latest jobless rate (%)
Jobless rate
5 years ago (%)
11.6
Italy
Italy
10.5
9.6
France
France
9.5
United States
8.2
United Kingdom
Canada
7.3
Germany
6.9
6.5
Canada
5.8
Germany
4.6
United Kingdom
Japan
4.5
4.4
United States
2.8
Japan
Latest jobless rate (%)
Jobless rate
5 years ago (%)
11.6
Italy
Italy
10.5
9.6
France
France
9.5
United States
8.2
United Kingdom
Canada
7.3
Germany
6.9
6.5
Canada
5.8
Germany
4.6
United Kingdom
Japan
4.5
4.4
United States
2.8
Japan
Latest jobless rate (%)
Jobless rate
5 years ago (%)
11.6
Italy
Italy
10.5
9.6
France
France
9.5
United States
8.2
United Kingdom
Canada
7.3
Germany
6.9
6.5
Canada
5.8
Germany
4.6
United Kingdom
Japan
4.5
4.4
United States
2.8
Japan
Latest jobless
rate (%)
Jobless rate
5 years ago (%)
11.6
Italy
10.5
9.6
France
9.5
8.2
7.3
6.9
6.5
Canada
5.8
Germany
4.6
U.K.
4.5
4.4
U.S.
2.8
Japan