Netherlands vs Sweden: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)
Netherlands
85.6%
in 2025
Sweden
83.9%
in 2025
Netherlands rank
7th
Sweden rank
10th
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) over time
- Netherlands
- Sweden
How they compare
Netherlands currently reports 85.6% against 83.9% in Sweden, a difference of 1.7%.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Sweden ahead.
Netherlands ranks 7th and Sweden ranks 10th of 187 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Netherlands averaged higher in 3 and Sweden in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Netherlands | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 79.1% | 80.1% | 1.0% | Sweden |
| 2000s | 80.5% | 78.4% | 2.2% | Netherlands |
| 2010s | 81.9% | 81.4% | 0.5% | Netherlands |
| 2020s | 84.7% | 83.4% | 1.4% | Netherlands |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages), Netherlands or Sweden?
- Netherlands, at 85.6% against 83.9% in Sweden as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) between Netherlands and Sweden?
- 1.7%, with Netherlands ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and Sweden?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Netherlands and Sweden rank globally for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Netherlands ranks 7th and Sweden ranks 10th of 187 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.