Employment in Lima reaches 20-year low
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The Ministry of Labor and Promotion of Employment in Peru reported that employment in Lima Metropolitan area reached a record high between July and September 2026. A total of 6,013,000 people held jobs, an increase of 339,000 over the same period last year.
The unemployment rate fell to 4.4%, the lowest level for those months in over two decades, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics.
Employment growth reached 6%, the largest increase for that July-September period since 2022, as more women entered the workforce. Approximately 190,000 more women found employment, representing a 7.4% increase, while 149,000 more men were employed. The number of people in adequate employment also increased, surpassing 3.9 million workers. To connect job seekers with employers, the Ministry strengthened its services, helping 4,392 people in Lima secure formal employment through employment centers, job fairs, and guidance programs.
Nationally, around 15,000 people found formal work through these programs coordinated with regional labor authorities. The Ministry also issued over 1.4 million free Unique Labor Certificates, documents compiling identity, legal, academic, and work history, to simplify the hiring process. The government also increased the Minimum Vital Remuneration from 1,130 to 1,230 soles starting October 1, with plans to raise it to 1,300 soles by the first half of 2027, alongside training and formalization initiatives.
