Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Switzerland
Switzerland: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 67.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Switzerland, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Switzerland stood at 67.3%.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Switzerland peaked at 68.6% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 46.9%, in 1978.
Switzerland ranks 55th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 60.4% | — |
| 1970 | 62.4% | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 46.9% | -24.7% |
| 1979 | 47.2% | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 60.1% | +27.3% |
| 1985 | 51.5% | -14.3% |
| 1986 | 51.7% | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 52.2% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 52.6% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 64.0% | +21.6% |
| 1991 | 64.9% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 64.7% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 65.1% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 64.1% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 64.2% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 67.5% | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 67.4% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 68.0% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 67.8% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 67.4% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 67.8% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 67.8% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 67.3% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 67.0% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 67.4% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 67.6% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 68.2% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 68.2% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 67.0% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 67.5% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 67.5% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 67.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 67.9% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 68.1% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 68.6% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 68.4% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 68.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 68.2% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 67.9% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 67.6% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 67.1% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 67.7% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 67.5% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 67.3% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 60.4% | 60.4% | 60.4% | 1 |
| 1970s | 52.2% | 46.9% | 62.4% | 3 |
| 1980s | 53.6% | 51.5% | 60.1% | 5 |
| 1990s | 65.8% | 64.0% | 68.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.6% | 67.0% | 68.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.9% | 67.0% | 68.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.5% | 67.1% | 67.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More work & labour data for Switzerland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0651 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0485 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0817 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.4 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6452 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 8,038 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,842 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,568 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 4,558 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,126 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Switzerland?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Switzerland was 67.3% 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 68.6% in 2016.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.9% in 1978.
- How does Switzerland rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Switzerland ranks 55th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.