Socio-economic stability, good living standards, and low unemployment are the key aspects of the state development strategy in modern economic conditions. They have a direct impact on the national competitiveness and security. The current pandemic and global economic crisis made it important to curb the growing unemployment and protect the unemployed population. The study featured the global labor market with its structural and economic relations, trends and patterns. The research objective was to identify the potential problems of unemployment growth and provide recommendations for their localization and leveling. The authors analyzed the forecasts made by Russian and international experts about the state of the global labor market during the pandemic, assessed its features and main trends, studied the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the unemployment rate, and systematized measures of social support for unemployed population in different countries. The paper introduces some measures that can prevent the growth of global unemployment.