In the first quarter of 2025, the number of job seekers registered in category A at France Travail rose by 8.7%, reaching 3.4 million, largely due to the recent reform of the active solidarity income (RSA).

When considering categories B and C, which include part-time workers, the total increase in job seekers for the quarter is 4.5%, amounting to over 5.7 million individuals.

This 12.8% annual increase in job seekers suggests a deteriorating labor market, raising concerns about employment conditions across the country.

After a steady decline since 2015, the unemployment rate had reached a low of 7.1% in early 2023, but recent trends indicate a gradual rise, prompting questions about whether this is a temporary slowdown or a more significant reversal.

The spike in registrations is also attributed to the automatic enrollment of RSA beneficiaries, which began in January 2025, leading to the creation of new categories for individuals awaiting guidance.

This increase is not significantly driven by current economic uncertainties but primarily by the automatic enrollment of RSA beneficiaries into France Travail.

Regions such as Gironde and Lot-et-Garonne have reported the largest increases in registrations, highlighting a broader trend of rising unemployment across various departments.

Experts from Dares and France Travail caution that the apparent surge in unemployment may be influenced more by administrative changes than by actual economic decline.

When accounting for the new reporting rules and the impact of the RSA reform, the actual increase in job seekers attributable to labor market conditions is estimated to be only 0.8%.

The INSEE forecasts a slight rise in the unemployment rate, potentially reaching 7.6% by mid-2025, due to insufficient job creation relative to the growing labor force.

New registrants remain in category A until they sign an 'engagement contract', which limits their ability to update their status and contributes to the inflated numbers.

Year-on-year, the increase in job seekers in category A stands at 12.8%, reflecting significant shifts in the labor market.