Unemployment in France rose to 10.2 percent in the third quarter of this year, the highest for any quarter in 18 years, French national statistical agency Insee said Thursday.

The quarterly jobless rate would be 10.6 percent if the overseas departments were taken into account, said Insee.

It said unemployment increased across all age groups, particularly among the youth with almost a quarter of young people were without work.

The Socialist government is working to stimulate job creation through state subsidies. It rolled out a "jobs of the future" plan to recruit thousands of young people, mostly less qualified workers from disadvantaged suburbs and rural areas, to public sectors.