Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Australia
Australia: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 70.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Australia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Australia is 70.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Australia peaked at 75.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 70.1%, in 2020.
Australia ranks 84th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 75.7% | — |
| 1991 | 74.8% | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 74.3% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 73.7% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 73.9% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 73.7% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 73.1% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 72.8% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 72.4% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 72.2% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 72.0% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 71.9% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 71.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 71.6% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 72.2% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 72.3% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 72.6% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 72.7% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 72.4% | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 72.4% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 72.3% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 71.8% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 71.5% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 71.0% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 71.2% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 70.7% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 70.8% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 71.1% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 71.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 70.1% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 70.9% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 71.4% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 71.6% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 70.9% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 70.7% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 73.8% | 72.4% | 75.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.2% | 71.6% | 72.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.4% | 70.7% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.9% | 70.1% | 71.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 81 Japan 71.5% compare
- 82 Kyrgyzstan 71.4% compare
- 83 Switzerland 71.4% compare
- 85 Lao People's Democratic Republic 70.6% compare
- 86 Rwanda 70.6% compare
- 87 Egypt 70.5% compare
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Australia?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Australia was 70.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 75.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.1% in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Australia ranks 84th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.