Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Pakistan
Pakistan: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 52.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Pakistan, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 52.3% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Pakistan peaked at 52.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 48.4%, in 1995.
That places Pakistan 149th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom 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 15+) in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 49.4% | — |
| 1991 | 49.7% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 49.2% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 48.4% | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 49.2% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 50.1% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 50.0% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 50.2% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 50.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 50.4% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 50.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 50.6% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 50.7% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 50.4% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 50.0% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 50.1% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 50.5% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 51.0% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 50.8% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 51.1% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 51.5% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 51.0% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 52.0% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 51.7% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 51.3% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 51.0% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 51.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 51.6% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 52.4% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 52.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 52.3% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.5% | 48.4% | 50.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.4% | 50.0% | 50.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.3% | 50.8% | 52.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.3% | 51.6% | 52.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 146 Sierra Leone 53.4% compare
- 147 Guinea 52.6% compare
- 148 French Polynesia 52.4% compare
- 150 Cuba 52.2% compare
- 151 Croatia 52.1% compare
- 152 Papua New Guinea 52.1% compare
More work & labour data for Pakistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1658 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1724 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.4553 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 160,228 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 146,712 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 259,090 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 251,911 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 511,001 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Pakistan?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Pakistan was 52.3% 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 52.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.4% in 1995.
- How does Pakistan rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Pakistan ranks 149th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.