Employment in European Union 27
European Union 27: Employment was 208,501 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in European Union 27, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, employment in European Union 27 stood at 208,501.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in European Union 27 peaked at 209,700 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 170,330, in 1994.
That places European Union 27 40th out of 87 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in European Union 27, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 175,617 | — |
| 1992 | 174,211 | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 171,154 | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 170,330 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 171,195 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 171,882 | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 172,948 | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 174,540 | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 176,274 | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 177,956 | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 179,630 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 180,512 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 182,090 | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 183,178 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 185,690 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 189,244 | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 192,898 | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 195,096 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 190,738 | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 190,283 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 190,522 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 189,726 | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 189,041 | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 190,534 | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 192,815 | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 195,575 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 198,753 | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 201,415 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 203,474 | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 200,471 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 202,579 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 207,249 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 209,652 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 209,700 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 208,501 | -0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 173,128 | 170,330 | 176,274 | 9 |
| 2000s | 185,703 | 177,956 | 195,096 | 10 |
| 2010s | 194,214 | 189,041 | 203,474 | 10 |
| 2020s | 206,359 | 200,471 | 209,700 | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union 27
- 37 Malaysia 18,015 compare
- 38 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 17,070 compare
- 39 Saudi Arabia 16,665 compare
- 40 Madagascar 16,572 compare
- 41 Mozambique 14,620 compare
- 42 Australia 14,170 compare
- 43 Angola 14,019 compare
More work & labour data for European Union 27
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 219,152 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 56.65 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 167,689 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 53.37 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.7922 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.5152 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment (ILO modelled estimates) 208,501 (2025)
- Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) 56.65 (2027)
- NEET: Youth not in employment, education or training 4,895 (2027)
- Time-related underemployment (ILO modelled estimates) 7,404 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in European Union 27?
- Employment in European Union 27 was 208,501 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment recorded in European Union 27?
- The highest recorded value was 209,700 in 2024.
- What is the lowest employment recorded in European Union 27?
- The lowest recorded value was 170,330 in 1994.
- How does European Union 27 rank for employment?
- European Union 27 ranks 40th out of 87 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment rising or falling in European Union 27?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 27 data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following categories: a) paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work); or b) self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work). 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 ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.