<p>Youth employment is a key driver of sustainable development and social stability. Although economic, demographic, and educational correlates of youth employment have been widely studied, socio-political factors remain underexplored. This study examined socio-political factors associated with youth employment status in Hosanna City, Ethiopia. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed using data collected from 437 economically active youth through structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Descriptive results showed that 55.6% of respondents were unemployed, while 44.4% were employed. The full logistic regression model was statistically significant (χ² = 59.878, df = 9, N = 437,<i> p</i> &lt; 0.001). Lack of work experience, rural–urban migration, poor governance, and limited government support were negatively associated with youth employment status. In contrast, absence of caregiving responsibilities, flexible job preferences, and labour migration experience were positively associated with employment status. The findings indicate that socio-political factors are significantly associated with youth employment status. Strengthening institutional support, improving transparency in recruitment systems, and expanding practical labour market interventions may improve youth employment outcomes.</p>