Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Ireland
Ireland: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 66.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Ireland, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Ireland is 66.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Ireland peaked at 66.6% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 52.4%, in 1977.
Ireland ranks 65th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 57.3% | — |
| 1966 | 56.7% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 55.0% | -3.0% |
| 1975 | 54.1% | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 52.4% | -3.1% |
| 1981 | 53.0% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 55.0% | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 54.0% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 53.3% | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 53.4% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 53.6% | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 53.2% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 52.7% | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 53.0% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 53.2% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 52.6% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 53.3% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 53.9% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 53.9% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 54.9% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 56.4% | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 57.9% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 59.0% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 59.2% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 59.7% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 60.1% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 61.5% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 62.7% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 66.6% | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 65.9% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 64.1% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 62.6% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 62.0% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 61.6% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 62.0% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 61.8% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 61.8% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 62.2% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 62.0% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 62.2% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 62.3% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 61.1% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 63.7% | +4.2% |
| 2022 | 64.7% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 66.5% | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 65.8% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 66.1% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 57.0% | 56.7% | 57.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 53.8% | 52.4% | 55.0% | 3 |
| 1980s | 53.5% | 52.7% | 55.0% | 8 |
| 1990s | 54.5% | 52.6% | 57.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.8% | 59.0% | 66.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.0% | 61.6% | 62.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.6% | 61.1% | 66.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 62 Jamaica 66.4% compare
- 63 Dominican Republic 66.3% compare
- 64 Sierra Leone 66.2% compare
- 66 Lao People's Democratic Republic 66.0% compare
- 67 Azerbaijan 65.7% compare
- 68 Norway 65.5% compare
More work & labour data for Ireland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4488 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4574 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4405 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.9335 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,354 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,447 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,638 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,649 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,286 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Ireland?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Ireland was 66.1% 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 66.6% in 2007.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 52.4% in 1977.
- How does Ireland rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Ireland ranks 65th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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.
Download this data
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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.