Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Germany
Germany: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 80.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Germany, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Germany recorded 80.0% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Germany peaked at 80.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 70.0%, in 1990.
That places Germany 25th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Germany, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 70.0% | — |
| 1991 | 71.9% | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 71.4% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 70.8% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 71.2% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 70.8% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 70.6% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 71.0% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 71.1% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 71.5% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 71.4% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 71.6% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 71.9% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 72.4% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 72.4% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 73.9% | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 75.3% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 75.9% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 76.1% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 76.4% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 76.6% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 77.0% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 77.2% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 77.6% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 77.8% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 77.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 77.8% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 78.2% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 78.5% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 79.2% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 78.5% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 78.7% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 79.3% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 79.8% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 79.9% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 80.0% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 71.0% | 70.0% | 71.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 73.7% | 71.4% | 76.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 77.7% | 76.6% | 79.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 79.4% | 78.5% | 80.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More work & labour data for Germany
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0436 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0549 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.95 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0388 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 66,826 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 12,413 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 35,391 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 35,508 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 70,900 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Germany?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Germany was 80.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 80.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.0% in 1990.
- How does Germany rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Germany ranks 25th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO 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 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.