The PLFS Monthly Bulletin reports 5.1% (March 2026). Most middle-income countries with comparable labour market dynamics record 6-10%. The discrepancy reflects the very high share of self-employed and casual workers (counted as employed) and the discouraged-worker effect at the margins.
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This is one of 36 standing analyses drawn from the Some Perspective dataset. It is not dated commentary: it describes a relationship in the data that holds across the series, and it is regenerated whenever the underlying dataset is refreshed. The figures quoted here reflect the 2026-08-15 data vintage.