# Emploi en Guyane

Employment in French Guiana: High Unemployment, Youth in Difficulty, INSEE Sounds the Alarm Despite dynamic population growth, the French Guiana labor market is struggling to keep pace French Guiana continues to face significant employment challenges. In a series of recently published studies, the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) paints a worrying picture of the labor market situation in 2025 in the French Antilles and Guiana. While Guadeloupe and Martinique show a degree of stability, French Guiana continues to face high unemployment and difficulties in entering the workforce, particularly for young people. One in Six Guianese Unemployed According to INSEE data, 17% of the French Guiana workforce is unemployed in 2025. This rate remains stable compared to the previous year, but is still significantly higher than the national average. Women are more affected than men, with an unemployment rate of 18%, compared to 16% for men. Even more worrying, unemployment is rising sharply among those aged 50 to 64, now reaching 12%, an increase of five percentage points in one year. Only 42% of working-age residents have a job Access to employment remains particularly difficult in French Guiana. INSEE reveals that only 42% of people aged 15 to 64 are employed, a level significantly lower than that observed in mainland France. This situation is explained in particular by the territory's strong population growth. Job creation, although it exists, is not enough to absorb the continuous influx of new workers into the labor market. Young people still largely forgotten The situation is particularly concerning for young people in French Guiana. The employment rate for 15-29 year olds is capped at 21%, one of the lowest in France. Although many young people continue their studies, INSEE (the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) emphasizes that their integration into the labor market remains complicated. Difficulties accessing training, a lack of professional opportunities, and the precarious nature of some jobs are all obstacles to their economic integration. A particularly significant "halo of unemployment" Another telling indicator: nearly one in five inactive people in French Guiana say they want to work but are not counted as unemployed according to the International Labour Organization's definition. This phenomenon, known as the "halo of unemployment," reflects a social reality often invisible in official statistics and highlights the discouragement of a segment of the population facing difficulties in accessing employment. Long-term unemployment remains a concern In 2025, 6% of the active population in French Guiana will have been unemployed for more than a year. A level three times higher than that observed in mainland France. This situation creates lasting vulnerability for those affected, who face greater difficulties in finding stable employment and achieving lasting professional integration. Often Precarious Jobs The study also highlights that job quality remains a major issue. In French Guiana, 7% of employed individuals are underemployed, compared to only 4% in mainland France. Involuntary part-time work, precarious contracts, or insufficient activity: these situations reflect the limitations of a labor market that still struggles to offer stable prospects to a significant portion of the population. A Major Challenge for the Future of French Guiana In a territory with the youngest population in France and where demographic growth remains strong, the issue of employment constitutes one of the main challenges for the years to come. Vocational training, youth support, local economic development, entrepreneurship support, and business attractiveness appear to be essential levers for meeting the growing needs of the region. Because behind the INSEE figures lies a reality well known to the people of French Guiana: that of a youth full of potential who are still waiting for the opportunities that will allow them to build their future in their own territory.