Children in employment in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Children in employment was 2.79 in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
2.79
Change on year
down 42.8%
World rank
37th
of 40 countries
All-time high
31.24
in 2011
All-time low
2.79
in 2022
Years of data
11
2011–2022

Children in employment in Costa Rica, 2011–2022

01020302011201620222011: 31.22013: 19.62014: 12.62015: 15.22016: 22.32017: 15.22018: 11.82019: 8.52020: 5.52021: 4.92022: 2.8

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2022, children in employment in Costa Rica stood at 2.79. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is down 42.8% on the previous year and down 91.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children in employment in Costa Rica peaked at 31.24 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 2.79, in 2022.

Costa Rica ranks 37th of 40 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Children in employment in Costa Rica, year by year

Annual values for Children in employment (15-17) in Costa Rica, 2011 to 2022.
Year Value Change
2011 31.24
2013 19.56 -37.4%
2014 12.59 -35.6%
2015 15.21 +20.8%
2016 22.3 +46.6%
2017 15.23 -31.7%
2018 11.81 -22.5%
2019 8.48 -28.2%
2020 5.45 -35.7%
2021 4.87 -10.7%
2022 2.79 -42.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 17.05 8.48 31.24 8
2020s 4.37 2.79 5.45 3

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 34 Hungary 3.97 compare
  2. 35 Greece 3.16
  3. 36 Botswana 3.11 compare
  4. 38 Slovenia 2.53 compare
  5. 39 Estonia 2.08 compare
  6. 40 Belarus 1.6 compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More work & labour data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is children in employment in Costa Rica?
Children in employment in Costa Rica was 2.79 in 2022, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest children in employment recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 31.24 in 2011.
What is the lowest children in employment recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 2.79 in 2022.
How does Costa Rica rank for children in employment?
Costa Rica ranks 37th out of 40 countries with data for 2022.
Is children in employment rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is down 91.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Children in employment (15-17). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Children in employment in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/children-in-employment-15-17/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Children in employment (15-17)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
40 places, 460 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed

This indicator is based on harmonized definitions used by the ILO in the context of producing global estimates. Data may differ from nationally reported figures. This indicator refers to children ages 5-17 years old engaged in any form of market production and certain types of non-market production (principally that of goods such as agricultural produce for own use). This includes work in both the formal and informal economy, inside and outside family settings, for pay or profit (cash or in-kind, part-time or full-time) and domestic work outside the child's own household for an employer (paid or unpaid). Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the Child Labour Statistics (CHILD) database description.