Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in South Africa
South Africa: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) was 29.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in South Africa, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in South Africa stood at 29.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in South Africa peaked at 49.9% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 22.8%, in 2020.
That places South Africa 168th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 49.7% | — |
| 1991 | 49.2% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 49.4% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 48.6% | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 48.5% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 49.5% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 49.9% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 49.5% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 47.9% | -3.3% |
| 1999 | 46.1% | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 44.3% | -3.9% |
| 2001 | 42.5% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 40.7% | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 38.9% | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 37.5% | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 36.4% | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 35.5% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 34.7% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 34.1% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 31.1% | -8.6% |
| 2010 | 29.0% | -6.8% |
| 2011 | 27.7% | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 28.0% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 28.1% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 27.9% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 29.7% | +6.3% |
| 2016 | 29.4% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 29.4% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 28.4% | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 28.3% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 22.8% | -19.3% |
| 2021 | 23.7% | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 28.5% | +20.1% |
| 2023 | 29.2% | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 29.0% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 29.1% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 48.8% | 46.1% | 49.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.6% | 31.1% | 44.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.6% | 27.7% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.1% | 22.8% | 29.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 165 Bhutan 30.6% compare
- 166 Czechia 29.9% compare
- 167 Italy 29.7% compare
- 169 Tajikistan 29.0% compare
- 170 Hong Kong, China 28.8% compare
- 171 Sierra Leone 28.8% compare
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % 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 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in South Africa?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) in South Africa was 29.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 49.9% in 1996.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.8% in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%)?
- South Africa ranks 168th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.