Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Italy
Italy: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 58.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Italy, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Italy stood at 58.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Italy peaked at 80.7% in 1961 and was at its lowest, 57.6%, in 2021.
That places Italy 180th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Italy, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 80.7% | — |
| 1971 | 72.7% | -9.8% |
| 1977 | 70.5% | -3.0% |
| 1978 | 70.0% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 69.6% | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 69.2% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 69.0% | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 68.4% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 68.9% | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 68.7% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 68.5% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 68.1% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 67.3% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 66.8% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 65.9% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 65.7% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 66.7% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 64.7% | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 64.2% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 63.1% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 62.2% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 62.1% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 61.9% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 62.0% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 61.8% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 61.6% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 61.4% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 61.7% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 62.1% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 61.9% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 61.1% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 60.8% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 60.4% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 60.4% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 59.6% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 59.1% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 58.7% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 59.2% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 58.6% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 58.7% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 58.9% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 59.2% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 59.4% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 59.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 57.6% | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 57.6% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 58.1% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 58.8% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 58.7% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 58.7% | -0.0% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 58.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 69.5%, 84% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Italy's 58.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68.2%, 86% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 80.7% | 80.7% | 80.7% | 1 |
| 1970s | 70.7% | 69.6% | 72.7% | 4 |
| 1980s | 68.1% | 65.9% | 69.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.4% | 61.8% | 66.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.1% | 59.6% | 62.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.0% | 58.6% | 59.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.3% | 57.6% | 58.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More work & labour data for Italy
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.6708 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6794 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.662 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.03 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0094 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 44,671 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 10,422 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,512 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 17,865 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 35,377 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Italy?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Italy was 58.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 80.7% in 1961.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.6% in 2021.
- How does Italy rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Italy ranks 180th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Italy data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.