← South Africa's unemployment rate
Unemployment Benefits in South Africa
Workers who contributed to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and lose their job can claim unemployment benefits through the Department of Employment and Labour. Unemployed people aged 18 to 60 with insufficient means may get SASSA's Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.
✓ From official pages ✓ Each part says when we checked
At a glance
Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Department of Employment and Labour
UIF
The job market in South Africa
The International Labour Organization's estimates put South Africa 182nd lowest of 183 countries for unemployment in 2025; the world's rate was 4.9%.
South Africa's unemployment rate over the years · every country, ranked
What to do first
- Apply for UIF unemployment benefits: register as a work-seeker and claim online or at a labour centre within 12 months of losing the job; payments are made every four weeks until the benefits are used up. Official page
- Keep up with the job-search rule while you claim (below), and keep a record of where you applied.
- See whether you can get COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant (SASSA). Official page
- Questions: call 0800 030 007 (UIF).
UIF unemployment benefits
Who can get it. Employees registered with the UIF who paid contributions and lost their job; voluntary resignations are not covered, nor people working under 24 hours a month.
For how long. One day's credit for every four days worked, up to a maximum of 365 credits.
How to claim. Register as a work-seeker and claim online or at a labour centre within 12 months of losing the job; payments are made every four weeks until the benefits are used up.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Looking for work while you claim
Claimants sign every four weeks to show they still need the benefit, on a form showing they have looked for work and that no jobs are available.
Reporting. Sign at the labour centre every four weeks
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Keep my work search record for South Africa
Free. It lists where you applied and what else you did to look for work, each line ready to copy into the form you report on. It is your own record: we send nothing to any government.
New jobs in South Africa
Every job in South Africa, and job alerts emailed as new ones come in.
COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant (SASSA)
A monthly grant for people aged 18 to 60 with insufficient means, applied for online at srd.sassa.gov.za.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Who to call
UIF: 0800 030 007.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Questions
Is there unemployment benefit in South Africa?
Yes: UIF unemployment benefits, paid by Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Department of Employment and Labour.
How long does unemployment benefit last in South Africa?
One day's credit for every four days worked, up to a maximum of 365 credits.
How do I claim unemployment benefit in South Africa?
Register as a work-seeker and claim online or at a labour centre within 12 months of losing the job; payments are made every four weeks until the benefits are used up.
Do I have to look for work while I claim in South Africa?
Claimants sign every four weeks to show they still need the benefit, on a form showing they have looked for work and that no jobs are available.
Who do I call about unemployment in South Africa?
UIF: 0800 030 007.
Nearby countries
Eswatini
LesothoWhere this comes from
Every part of this page was read on an official website, and each links the page it came from and the day we checked it. Rules and amounts change, so check that page before you rely on a figure. Jobareer is not part of any government and cannot see or change a claim.
See also: unemployment rate by country · South Africa's unemployment rate · unemployment in the US, state by state.