Unemployment in Bhutan

The first-quarter 2026 estimate came from a February survey covering 3,016 households, 2,974 participating households and all 20 Dzongkhags, with a 98.6% response rate. Youth unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 was 16.5%; the rate was 3.9% for women, 3.0% for men, 5.4% in urban areas and 2.2% in rural areas. The labour-force participation rate was 65.4%, and small samples can make detailed subgroup estimates variable. In the 2025 annual results, Bhutan recorded 13,353 unemployed people and a 3.4% unemployment rate with a confidence interval of 3.0% to 3.8%. Female unemployment was 4.5% compared with 2.6% for men. Long-term unemployment lasting at least 12 months affected 3,012 people, or 0.8% of the population, and represented 22.6% of unemployed people. The most commonly recorded reasons were recently completing studies, inadequate qualifications, lack of experience, voluntary resignation, qualification mismatch and the end of a temporary job. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, especially its Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship and Employment Service Division, provides the main public services. A jobseeker can register online through the Bhutan Labour Market Information System, the Job Portal or Labour Net, or seek help from an Employment Service Centre. Centres operate in Thimphu, Phuntsholing, Gelephu, Samdrup Jongkhar and Trashigang. Services include career guidance, CV and interview support, vacancy information, job matching, referrals, document assistance, entrepreneurship referrals and labour-market information. Listed opening hours are 09:00 to 17:00 from March to October and 09:00 to 16:00 from November to February. The reviewed sources do not list a service fee. Access can still depend on identity validation, documents or security-clearance requirements. BLMIS registration currently uses CID validation and is available to people aged 18 or older who are unemployed and looking for work. A complete profile supports applications, while a Jobseeker ID is required for Ministry jobs, including overseas employment; it is not required for National Statistics Bureau unemployment statistics. Registration can use the NDI Wallet or another way to register without the wallet. An account can deactivate automatically after three months without activity, so the profile needs regular checking. Bhutan does not have a current general unemployment-insurance or unemployment-allowance entitlement evidenced in the reviewed official sources. The Thirteenth Five-Year Plan refers to possible future unemployment-support systems, but that planning does not create a current benefit. The Youth Engagement and Livelihood Programme offers a different form of support by connecting eligible young jobseekers with private-sector or other work experience. Under the latest procedure, participants are Bhutanese citizens aged 18 to 29 who are registered jobseekers and are not in employment, education or training; the employer must also be registered in BLMIS. Engagements generally last one to twelve months, with a possible additional year for target groups, while special support can last up to 24 months and internships up to three months with a possible further three months. Monthly engagement allowances total Nu 10,500 to Nu 15,000, including Nu 6,000 to Nu 9,000 from the Ministry and at least Nu 4,500 to Nu 6,000 from the employer, depending on qualifications. Special support pays Nu 10,500 to Nu 15,000 per month and internships pay Nu 6,000 per month. Availability depends on vacancies, budgets, attendance and Ministry criteria. The Ministry can disburse its part within seven working days of the following month after attendance verification, while the employer payment is due by the first week of the following month. Complaints can go to the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship or a Regional Office of Industry, Commerce and Employment, and then to Labour Administration where appropriate. A period without work can also follow redundancy, dismissal or resignation. Under Bhutan's Labour and Employment Act 2007, an employment contract should be written and supplied to the worker. For contracts of at least one year, the ordinary notice period is at least 30 days, although payment in lieu of notice can be used. Probation can last up to 180 days with seven days' notice. Redundancy requires consultation, notice and an additional seven days for each completed year of continuous employment, capped at 42 days. Wages owed after termination should be paid within seven calendar days. Unlawful-dismissal disputes follow a dispute-resolution process; rights disputes can go to court, while interest disputes can go to arbitration. A court may order reinstatement or compensation of one month's pay for each year of continuous employment, up to six months. No general direct severance or unemployment-income entitlement was evidenced in the reviewed sources.