Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in OECD members
OECD members: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 73.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in OECD members, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
OECD members recorded 73.6% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in OECD members peaked at 73.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 69.0%, in 1993.
That places OECD members 7th out of 47 groups 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 OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 69.1% | — |
| 1991 | 69.3% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 69.2% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 69.0% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 69.2% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 69.2% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 69.4% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 69.7% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 69.7% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 69.7% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 69.6% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 69.5% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 69.5% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 69.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 69.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 69.8% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 70.1% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 70.1% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 70.3% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 70.3% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 70.2% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 70.3% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 70.6% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 70.8% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 70.8% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 71.0% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 71.3% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 71.7% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 72.0% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 72.3% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 70.9% | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 72.0% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 72.8% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 73.4% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 73.6% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 73.6% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.4% | 69.0% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.8% | 69.5% | 70.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.1% | 70.2% | 72.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.7% | 70.9% | 73.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 4 Madagascar 86.9% compare
- 5 Cambodia 86.1% compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 85.8% compare
- 7 Netherlands 85.6% compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 85.0% compare
- 9 Switzerland 84.0% compare
- 10 Sweden 83.9% compare
More work & labour data for OECD members
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 53.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 68.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 60.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 43.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 66.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 47.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.4% (2025)
- Contributing family workers, male (% of male employment) 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in OECD members?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in OECD members was 73.6% 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 OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 73.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.0% in 1993.
- How does OECD members rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- OECD members ranks 7th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this OECD members 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.