Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain
Spain: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 58.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Spain recorded 58.2% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain peaked at 59.7% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 47.0%, in 1986.
That places Spain 131st 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 Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 51.6% | — |
| 1970 | 47.8% | -7.3% |
| 1977 | 50.6% | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 50.0% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 49.4% | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 48.8% | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 48.3% | -1.1% |
| 1982 | 48.2% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 48.1% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 47.8% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 47.5% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 47.0% | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 48.0% | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 48.3% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 48.2% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | 48.6% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 48.2% | -0.7% |
| 1992 | 49.8% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 49.9% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 50.2% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 50.0% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 50.8% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 51.1% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 51.6% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 52.8% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 52.1% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 53.8% | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 54.9% | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 55.9% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 57.1% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 58.0% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 58.6% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 59.4% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 59.5% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 59.6% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 59.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 59.7% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 59.4% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 59.0% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 58.8% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 58.5% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 58.1% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 57.9% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 57.9% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 56.7% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 57.6% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 57.8% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 58.1% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 58.0% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 58.2% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 51.6% | 51.6% | 51.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 49.4% | 47.8% | 50.6% | 4 |
| 1980s | 48.0% | 47.0% | 48.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.1% | 48.2% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.2% | 52.1% | 59.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 58.9% | 57.9% | 59.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.7% | 56.7% | 58.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More work & labour data for Spain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4982 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1207 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,073 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,322 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,076 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,051 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 33,128 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Spain was 58.2% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 59.7% in 2012.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.0% in 1986.
- How does Spain rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Spain ranks 131st out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.