Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Australia
Australia: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 66.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Australia, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Australia recorded 66.9% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Australia peaked at 67.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 57.4%, in 1961.
That places Australia 59th out of 199 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 57.4% | — |
| 1966 | 59.5% | +3.7% |
| 1971 | 58.7% | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 61.4% | +4.7% |
| 1979 | 60.8% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 61.3% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 61.1% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 60.8% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 60.4% | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 60.5% | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 60.8% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 61.9% | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 62.0% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 62.4% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 63.2% | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 63.7% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 63.1% | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 62.9% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 62.5% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 62.9% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 63.5% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 63.5% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 63.1% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 63.0% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 62.8% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 63.1% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 63.3% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 63.4% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 63.6% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 63.5% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 64.4% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 64.8% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 65.2% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 65.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 65.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 65.4% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 65.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 65.2% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 64.9% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 64.7% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 65.0% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 64.8% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 65.0% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 65.7% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 66.1% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 65.0% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 66.1% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 66.8% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 67.2% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 67.1% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 66.9% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 58.5% | 57.4% | 59.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 60.3% | 58.7% | 61.4% | 3 |
| 1980s | 61.4% | 60.4% | 63.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 63.1% | 62.5% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.2% | 63.1% | 65.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.2% | 64.7% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.5% | 65.0% | 67.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Australia?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Australia was 66.9% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 67.2% in 2023.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.4% in 1961.
- How does Australia rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Australia ranks 59th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national 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.