France underemployed persons level: total
France underemployed persons level: total stood at 1,296 thousand persons in Q2 2026, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the Unemployment and employment (labour force survey) table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 2003 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Unemployment and employment (labour force survey) table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment rate | |||||||||||
| Total number of underemployed persons (in thousands) - SA data | 1,296 | 1,302 | 1,302 | 1,305 | 1,321 | 1,252 | 1,272 | 1,257 | 1,261 | 1,252 | |
| ILO employed persons (employment rate) - Men - SA data | 55.3 | 55.6 | 55.8 | 56 | 56.2 | 56.2 | 55.9 | 56.2 | 56.2 | 56 |
Understanding france underemployed persons level: total
Quantifying the absolute volume of individuals who work part-time hours but explicitly wish to work more, alongside those who are available to start immediately, this metric measures labor underutilization beyond standard joblessness. The headcount includes workers whose actual hours fall short of full-time due to economic conditions, slack demand, or scheduling limits, provided they actively seek or accept additional hours. It excludes standard part-time workers who are content with their schedules, as well as jobless individuals who fail to meet all criteria for active job search.
Quarterly tracking requires careful attention to holiday hiring cycles and temporary weather-related slowdowns that artificially inflate the need for extra hours. Early figures are subject to regular revision when household survey non-response weights are adjusted and administrative registers are cross-checked. Analysts comparing this volume with the headline jobless count should recognize that underemployed persons are technically classified as employed, meaning summing the two indicators would result in double-counting without proper methodological adjustments.
Frequently asked questions
- Are individuals who want more hours but are unavailable to start immediately counted here?
- No, immediate availability is a mandatory criterion for inclusion in this underemployment count.
- How does this series relate to the standard unemployment count?
- Underemployed persons already have a job, whereas unemployed persons do not hold any employment and search actively.
- Does this measure cover full-time workers experiencing temporary reduced hours?
- It primarily targets those on part-time schedules, though specific provisions capture full-time staff whose hours drop below normal thresholds due to economic slack.