Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) was 47.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Latin America & Caribbean, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Latin America & Caribbean is 47.4%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 57.1% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 44.8%, in 2020.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 5th of 22 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 51.6% | — |
| 1970 | 47.5% | -7.9% |
| 1980 | 51.1% | +7.5% |
| 1990 | 52.9% | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 57.1% | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 56.5% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 55.8% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 55.2% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 55.1% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 54.3% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 53.7% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 53.5% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 51.1% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 50.6% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 50.0% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 50.3% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 49.3% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 49.8% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 50.2% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 44.8% | -10.7% |
| 2021 | 49.4% | +10.3% |
| 2022 | 49.6% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 49.1% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 48.6% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 47.4% | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 51.6% | 51.6% | 51.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 47.5% | 47.5% | 47.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 51.1% | 51.1% | 51.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 52.9% | 52.9% | 52.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 55.2% | 53.5% | 57.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 50.3% | 49.3% | 51.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 48.2% | 44.8% | 49.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
More work & labour data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 39.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 55.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 47.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.4% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 69.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 57.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 68.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) in Latin America & Caribbean was 47.4% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 57.1% in 2002.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.8% in 2020.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%)?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 5th out of 22 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (national 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.