Argentina’s labour market experienced two sharply contrasting periods. The first, between 2003 and 2012, was characterized by falling unemployment, rising real wages, declining inequality, and improvements in formal employment. The second was marked by prolonged macroeconomic instability, stagnant productivity, and deteriorating labour market conditions. Despite relatively low unemployment rates, real wages collapsed, informality remained persistently high, and a growing share of workers became poor despite being employed. At the same time, human capital accumulation among younger cohorts has weakened significantly. Argentina's labour market challenge is no longer primarily one of unemployment but of job quality.

Czechia’s labour market has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past two decades. Unemployment has fallen sharply, while employment has steadily increased and continues to be among the highest levels across OECD countries. At the same time, rising real wages have not fully closed the gap with the OECD average, and the minimum wage remains relatively low compared to other countries. Gender gaps in employment and unemployment have narrowed, yet a substantial gender pay gap remains, highlighting persistent inequalities in the labour market.

Israel entered the 2020s with a strong labour market, following more than a decade of rising employment, falling unemployment, and sustained wage gains, a resilience striking given repeated security shocks. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2023–24 war, aggregate indicators returned relatively quickly towards pre-shock paths. Yet large and persistent gaps in employment and earnings remain, particularly among Arab Israelis and Ultra-Orthodox Jews. With the Ultra-Orthodox share of the working-age population growing rapidly, the stakes of closing these gaps are rising.   

Since 1991 the Australian economy has experienced sustained growth. Aided by the commodities boom and strong public finances, the Australian economy negotiated the global financial crisis without falling into recession. However, the dislocation associated with the Covid-19 pandemic saw the economy enter recession in 2020, before sharply rebounding. Since 2022, unemployment and real weekly earnings have returned to pre-Covid-19 levels but more recently real wages have slipped due to high inflation. Further recent headwinds include a rise in long-term unemployment, deteriorating youth labour market, and a stagnant gender earnings gap.