Jobs Data Feb 2026: Labour force steady at 56%, Urban jobs improve, Women’s unemployment falls to 5%

The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) and Worker Population Ratio (WPR) in India remained broadly stable in February 2026, according to the latest Monthly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

The overall LFPR for persons aged 15 years and above was estimated at 55.9 per cent in February 2026, unchanged from January. Female LFPR saw a modest increase to 35.3 per cent from 35.1 per cent in the previous month.

The overall WPR also exhibited stability at 53.2 per cent, up slightly from 53.1 per cent in January. Female WPR increased to 33.4 per cent from 33.1 per cent in the same period.

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The bulletin highlights that the urban unemployment rate (UR) improved, falling to 6.6 per cent in February 2026 from 7.0 per cent in January. Rural UR remained unchanged at 4.2 per cent. Female unemployment improved across both rural and urban areas, declining to 5.1 per cent from 5.6 per cent in January.

Labour Force Participation Rate

The LFPR indicates the proportion of the population that is either working or actively looking for work. At the all-India level, the LFPR for persons aged 15 years and above remained steady at 55.9 per cent in February.

Rural LFPR was higher at 58.7 per cent, while urban LFPR was estimated at 50.4 per cent, showing a marginal increase from 50.3 per cent recorded in January.

Female participation in the labour force showed a small but positive change. Overall, female LFPR rose from 35.1 per cent in January to 35.3 per cent in February.

Rural female LFPR increased to 40.0 per cent from 39.7 per cent, while urban female LFPR remained unchanged at 25.5 per cent. The data indicate that rural female participation has improved slightly, while urban female participation has remained stable.

Worker Population Ratio

The WPR measures the proportion of the population that is employed. Overall WPR for persons aged 15 years and above was stable at 53.2 per cent in February, compared to 53.1 per cent in January. Rural WPR stood at 56.3 per cent, while urban WPR was 47.0 per cent, up marginally from 46.8 per cent in January.

Female WPR improved during February, reflecting higher employment among women. Rural female WPR rose to 38.4 per cent from 38.0 per cent, and urban female WPR increased to 23.3 per cent from 23.0 per cent. Overall female WPR at the all-India level rose to 33.4 per cent from 33.1 per cent in the previous month.

Unemployment Rate

The overall unemployment rate (UR) for persons aged 15 years and above was estimated at 4.9 per cent in February 2026, slightly lower than 5.0 per cent in January. Urban unemployment showed a marked improvement, falling to 6.6 per cent from 7.0 per cent, while rural unemployment remained steady at 4.2 per cent.

Female unemployment rates improved across both sectors. Urban female UR declined from 9.8 per cent to 8.7 per cent, while rural female UR fell from 4.3 per cent to 4.0 per cent. The overall female UR at the all-India level decreased to 5.1 per cent from 5.6 per cent. Male unemployment remained largely unchanged at 4.8 per cent.

The bulletin notes that February 2026 marked a strong recovery for the urban job market, with more women participating in employment and unemployment rates declining sharply across both rural and urban areas.

Survey Coverage

The monthly PLFS estimates are based on data collected from a total of 3,74,879 persons. Of these, 2,13,679 were surveyed in rural areas and 1,61,200 in urban areas. The survey follows the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach and provides estimates of LFPR, WPR, and UR for the population aged 15 years and above.

Periodic Labour Force Survey

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is conducted by the NSO and MoSPI, and is the primary source of information on employment and unemployment in India. The methodology was revised from January 2025 to provide monthly and quarterly estimates of labour force indicators. Monthly bulletins present data at the all-India level and cover key labour market indicators.

The February 2026 bulletin is the eleventh in the monthly series, with previous bulletins covering April 2025 to January 2026. It provides a snapshot of the labour market trends and changes in employment patterns, including the participation of women and trends in urban and rural sectors.