structural unemployment

American  

noun

1. unemployment caused by basic changes in the overall economy, as in demographics, technology, or industrial organization.

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structural unemployment British  

noun

1. economics unemployment resulting from changes in the structure of an industry as a result of changes in either technology or taste

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structural unemployment Cultural  

1. Relatively long-lasting unemployment resulting from long-term shifts in economies and markets rather than short-term savings in economic conditions.

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Structural unemployment tends to develop around major changes in an economy, such as the move from an industrial to a technological economy. Workers displaced by the decline of the old economy tend not to be trained in fields suitable for the new economy, so they remain out of work.

Etymology

Origin of structural unemployment

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

He says that long running structural unemployment issues in the area mean many young people don't have a choice but to look elsewhere, and the threatened closure of the nearby Airbus factory risks making a bad situation worse.

From BBC

Given the difficulties of retraining, structural unemployment could account for a bigger share of joblessness in the near future.

From Reuters

Diaz’s comments echoed remarks by Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez, who said Spain intended to reform its labor laws to reduce the structural unemployment rate as part of commitments tied to the disbursement of the European Union recovery fund.

From Reuters

“That will result in a less efficient economy and lower growth. Another thing that could happen is inflation could come out the other side if you have high structural unemployment and the government keeps spending.”

From New York Times

If we avoid a secular or structural unemployment recession, and it turns out that we went a couple months with a huge spike in temporary unemployment, that’s going to be a total game changer for the economy.”

From Reuters