Sri Lanka records the highest unemployment rate among highly educated youth in the Asian economies highlighted in a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) analysis.
According to the IMF chart, unemployment among Sri Lankans aged 15–24 with post-secondary education is around 43%. The comparable rate is about 42% in India, 36% in Bangladesh, and below 20% in several other economies shown.
Sri Lanka’s overall youth unemployment rate is also high at around 22%, compared with an overall unemployment rate of about 4% across all age groups.
Among people of all ages with advanced education, Sri Lanka’s unemployment rate is around 6%, far below the rate recorded for educated youth.
The IMF said the pattern highlights difficulties faced by young graduates entering labour markets, including mismatches between qualifications and available jobs.
The IMF defines youth as people aged 15–24 and advanced education as post-secondary education. (Newswire)
