In January 2026, the labor market in Slovakia experienced typical seasonal developments. According to official data from the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR), the proportion of available job seekers in productive age (PDU) reached 4.42%. Compared to December of the previous year, this represents a slight increase of 0.33 percentage points.
Table 1: Key Unemployment Statistics (January 2026)
| Indicator | Value | Month-on-Month Change |
| Proportion of available job seekers (PDU) | 4.42% | + 0.33 p. p. |
| Total registered job seekers | 176,838 | increase from December |
| Unemployed secondary school graduates | 6,889 | – 178 individuals |
| Unemployed university graduates | 1,308 | – 244 individuals |
An increase in unemployment at the beginning of the year is a common phenomenon in Slovakia. Analysts from the Institute of Social Policy (ISP) at the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family confirm that a month-on-month growth between December and January is standard (recorded in the vast majority of cases since the year 2000). The current slight increase reflects a combination of cyclical and global factors. However, stabilization of the current levels is expected in the coming months, with analysts anticipating a slight improvement as the spring months arrive.
A highly positive trend from the January statistics is the continuing decrease in the number of unemployed school graduates, which dropped in both the secondary school and university categories.
From a regional perspective, traditional disparities remain. The Bratislava Region maintained the lowest proportion of available job seekers (PDU), while the highest figures were once again reported by the Prešov Region.
Table 2: Regional Disparities (PDU in January 2026)
| Region / District | PDU Value | Status |
| Bratislava Region | 2.89% | Region with the lowest unemployment |
| Prešov Region | 6.74% | Region with the highest unemployment |
| Bratislava I | 2.32% | District with the lowest unemployment |