Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ in Laos
Laos: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ was 66.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Laos, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Laos recorded 66.1% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Laos peaked at 66.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 59.8%, in 2017.
Laos ranks 53rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ in Laos, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 62.5% | — |
| 1991 | 62.4% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 62.4% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 62.3% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 62.2% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 62.2% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 62.1% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 62.0% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 62.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 61.8% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 61.8% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 61.7% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 61.6% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 61.5% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 61.4% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 61.3% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 61.2% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 61.1% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 60.9% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 60.8% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 60.7% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 60.5% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 60.4% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 60.3% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 60.1% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 60.0% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 59.9% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 59.8% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 61.0% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 62.2% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 62.9% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 64.6% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 66.0% | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 66.0% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 66.0% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 66.1% | +0.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 66.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 66.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.2% | 61.8% | 62.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.3% | 60.8% | 61.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.5% | 59.8% | 62.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.3% | 62.9% | 66.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More work & labour data for Laos
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 1,934 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 66.2 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,788 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.25 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.16 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 19,084 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 6,038 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 65.37 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.63 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Laos?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Laos was 66.1% 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 15+) recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 66.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.8% in 2017.
- How does Laos rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Laos ranks 53rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Laos 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+) (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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.