Informal employment (ILO modelled estimates) in Europe and Central Asia
Europe and Central Asia: Informal employment was 53,992 in 2027. ▬ Flat
Informal employment in Europe and Central Asia, 2004–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for informal employment in Europe and Central Asia is 53,992, measured in 2027.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 8.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, informal employment in Europe and Central Asia peaked at 58,880 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 52,470, in 2023.
That places Europe and Central Asia 41st out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.
Informal employment in Europe and Central Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 54,730 | — |
| 2005 | 54,829 | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 54,854 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 55,114 | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 54,120 | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 53,914 | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 55,668 | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 57,195 | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 58,047 | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 57,725 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 57,834 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 58,055 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 57,946 | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 58,880 | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 58,087 | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 57,774 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 54,096 | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 54,709 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 53,413 | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 52,470 | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 54,877 | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 54,862 | -0.0% |
| 2026 | 54,423 | -0.8% |
| 2027 | 53,992 | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 54,593 | 53,914 | 55,114 | 6 |
| 2010s | 57,721 | 55,668 | 58,880 | 10 |
| 2020s | 54,105 | 52,470 | 54,877 | 8 |
More work & labour data for Europe and Central Asia
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 452,116 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 57.53 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 333,753 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 5.47 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.21 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 103,309 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 59,908 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 54.39 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.04 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.1537 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is informal employment in Europe and Central Asia?
- Informal employment in Europe and Central Asia was 53,992 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest informal employment recorded in Europe and Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 58,880 in 2017.
- What is the lowest informal employment recorded in Europe and Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 52,470 in 2023.
- How does Europe and Central Asia rank for informal employment?
- Europe and Central Asia ranks 41st out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is informal employment rising or falling in Europe and Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Europe and Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Informal employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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. Informal employment comprises persons who in their main or secondary jobs were (a) own-account workers, employers and members of producers' cooperatives employed in their own informal sector enterprises; (b) own-account workers engaged in the production of goods exclusively for own final use by their household (e.g. subsistence farming); (c) contributing family workers, regardless of whether they work in formal or informal sector enterprises; or (d) employees holding informal jobs, whether employed by formal sector enterprises, informal sector enterprises, or as paid domestic workers by households. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.