Employers, total (% of total employment) in North America
North America: Employers, total (% of total employment) was 2.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employers, total (% of total employment) in North America, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
North America recorded 2.4% for employers, total (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, total (% of total employment) in North America peaked at 5.0% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2025.
North America ranks 46th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employers, total (% of total employment) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.0% | — |
| 1992 | 4.8% | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 4.8% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.6% | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 4.5% | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 4.3% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 4.2% | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 4.0% | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 3.9% | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 3.8% | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 3.7% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 3.7% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 3.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 3.6% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 3.6% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 3.6% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 3.3% | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 3.2% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 3.0% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 3.0% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 2.9% | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 2.5% | -8.6% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 2.6% | -5.4% |
| 2023 | 2.5% | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 2.5% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 2.4% | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.4% | 2.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employers, total (% of total employment) in North America?
- Employers, total (% of total employment) in North America was 2.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 5.0% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2025.
- How does North America rank for employers, total (% of total employment)?
- North America ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employers, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs" i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).