Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ in Macao
Macao: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ was 67.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Macao, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Macao is 67.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Macao peaked at 71.4% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 57.8%, in 1990.
Macao ranks 38th of 187 countries on this measure, 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) … 15+ in Macao, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57.8% | — |
| 1991 | 58.3% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 58.2% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 60.2% | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 61.8% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 63.3% | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 64.5% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 65.6% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 65.4% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 65.7% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 65.5% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 64.9% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 64.1% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 61.7% | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 62.7% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 63.9% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 65.8% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 68.6% | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 69.8% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 70.0% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 70.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 70.9% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 70.7% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 70.9% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 71.4% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 70.8% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 70.1% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 69.9% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 70.1% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 69.8% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 68.7% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 68.9% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 68.0% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 68.3% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 67.8% | -0.6% |
Macao compared with similar countries
- Macao's 67.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Macao's 67.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.1% | 57.8% | 65.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.7% | 61.7% | 70.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.4% | 69.8% | 71.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.1% | 66.6% | 68.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Macao
- 35 Saint Lucia 68.3% compare
- 36 Indonesia 68.0% compare
- 37 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 67.9% compare
- 39 Congo 67.8% compare
- 40 Kazakhstan 67.8% compare
- 41 Zimbabwe 67.7% compare
More work & labour data for Macao
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 208.94 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 66.82 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 420.81 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 2.74 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.769 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 206,074 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 117,019 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 64.99 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 2.38 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.2761 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Macao?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Macao was 67.8% 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 Macao?
- The highest recorded value was 71.4% in 2014.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Macao?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.8% in 1990.
- How does Macao rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Macao ranks 38th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Macao?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Macao 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.