Informal employment in Ireland
Ireland: Informal employment was 9.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Informal employment in Ireland, 2014–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total agricultural employment.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 9.2% for informal employment in 2024.
The figure is down 26.3% on the previous year and down 70.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, informal employment in Ireland peaked at 31.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2020.
Ireland ranks 36th of 44 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Informal employment in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of total agricultural employment | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 31.2% | — |
| 2015 | 18.3% | -41.2% |
| 2016 | 16.3% | -10.7% |
| 2017 | 24.0% | +47.0% |
| 2018 | 16.0% | -33.3% |
| 2019 | 7.3% | -54.3% |
| 2020 | 3.0% | -58.7% |
| 2021 | 4.6% | +51.7% |
| 2022 | 6.3% | +37.1% |
| 2023 | 12.5% | +98.7% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | -26.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 18.9% | 7.3% | 31.2% | 6 |
| 2020s | 7.1% | 3.0% | 12.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is informal employment in Ireland?
- Informal employment in Ireland was 9.2% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest informal employment recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 31.2% in 2014.
- What is the lowest informal employment recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2020.
- How does Ireland rank for informal employment?
- Ireland ranks 36th out of 44 countries with data for 2024.
- Is informal employment rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Informal employment (% of total agricultural employment). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This indicator shows the share of workers at working age in informal employment in agricultural activities out of total employment in agricultural activities, expressed as a percentage. Informal employment comprises persons whose main or secondary jobs are informal. For own-account workers and employers, informality is determined by enterprise characteristics (unincorporated, market-based, and unregistered); for contributing family workers, it is determined by the absence of written contracts and lack of coverage under labor legislation; and for employees, it is determined by whether the employment relationship is not subject to national labor legislation, income taxation, or social protection. The data are based on the statistical standards adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS).