Employment rates by country of birth in Iceland
Iceland: Employment rates by country of birth was 77.8 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
77.8
Change on year
down 1.8%
World rank
1st
of 47 countries
All-time high
82.2
in 2000
All-time low
74.1
in 2021
Years of data
31
1995–2025
Employment rates by country of birth in Iceland, 1995–2025
Source: Eurostat.
Analysis
In 2025, employment rates by country of birth in Iceland stood at 77.8.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rates by country of birth in Iceland peaked at 82.2 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 74.1, in 2021.
That places Iceland 1st out of 47 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Employment rates by country of birth in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 78 | — |
| 1996 | 78.2 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 77.1 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 78.8 | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 80.9 | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 82.2 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 82 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 80.3 | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 79.8 | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 78.6 | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 79.3 | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 80.1 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 80.8 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 79.5 | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 74.5 | -6.3% |
| 2010 | 74.3 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 74.2 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 75.1 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 76.3 | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 78.1 | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 79.7 | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 81.3 | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 80.6 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 79.6 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 78.4 | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 74.7 | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 74.1 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 77.1 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 77.8 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 79.2 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 77.8 | -1.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 77.8 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 63.65, 1.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 77.8 is above the median for high income countries, which is 65.2, 1.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 78.6 | 77.1 | 80.9 | 5 |
| 2000s | 79.71 | 74.5 | 82.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.76 | 74.2 | 81.3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.78 | 74.1 | 79.2 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 2 Netherlands 73.2 compare
- 2 Netherlands 73.2 compare
- 4 Switzerland 71.8 compare
More work & labour data for Iceland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4964 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4501 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5492 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2312 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 373.77 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16.3 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 169.5 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 193.08 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 362.58 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rates by country of birth in Iceland?
- Employment rates by country of birth in Iceland was 77.8 in 2025, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest employment rates by country of birth recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 82.2 in 2000.
- What is the lowest employment rates by country of birth recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.1 in 2021.
- How does Iceland rank for employment rates by country of birth?
- Iceland ranks 1st out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rates by country of birth rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Employment rates by country of birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).