Employment rate in Spain
Spain: Employment rate was 51.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment rate in Spain, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, employment rate in Spain stood at 51.5%.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Spain peaked at 53.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 38.1%, in 1994.
Spain ranks 132nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.4% | 38.1% | 43.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 49.7% | 45.6% | 53.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.6% | 43.7% | 49.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.0% | 47.6% | 51.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More work & labour data for Spain
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 62.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 52.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 75.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 71.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Spain?
- Employment rate in Spain was 51.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 53.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.1% in 1994.
- How does Spain rank for employment rate?
- Spain ranks 132nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.