Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 54.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago, 1960–2024
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2024, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago stood at 54.5%.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago peaked at 63.9% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 34.5%, in 1971.
That places Trinidad and Tobago 154th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 58.1% | — |
| 1970 | 52.9% | -8.9% |
| 1971 | 34.5% | -34.8% |
| 1974 | 37.0% | +7.1% |
| 1978 | 38.8% | +4.9% |
| 1979 | 59.7% | +54.2% |
| 1980 | 52.8% | -11.7% |
| 1981 | 59.4% | +12.6% |
| 1983 | 59.8% | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 60.1% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 59.1% | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 58.9% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 58.3% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 57.3% | -1.8% |
| 1990 | 56.0% | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 57.1% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 60.1% | +5.2% |
| 1993 | 58.4% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 59.4% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 60.2% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 60.5% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 60.3% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 61.1% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 60.8% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 61.2% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 60.7% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 60.9% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 61.6% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 63.0% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 63.7% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 63.9% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 63.5% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 63.5% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 62.6% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 60.9% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 59.9% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 61.1% | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 60.7% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 61.4% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 60.0% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 59.3% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 56.9% | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 55.1% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 54.3% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 54.7% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 55.3% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 54.5% | -1.3% |
Trinidad and Tobago compared with similar countries
- Trinidad and Tobago's 54.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 63.5%, 86% of the median. (80 countries reporting)
- Trinidad and Tobago's 54.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 63.8%, 85% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | +54.2% | 38.8% | 59.7% |
| 1971 | -34.8% | 52.9% | 34.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 58.1% | 58.1% | 58.1% | 1 |
| 1970s | 44.6% | 34.5% | 59.7% | 5 |
| 1980s | 58.2% | 52.8% | 60.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 59.4% | 56.0% | 61.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.5% | 60.7% | 63.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.0% | 56.9% | 61.4% | 8 |
| 2020s | 54.8% | 54.3% | 55.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Trinidad and Tobago
More work & labour data for Trinidad and Tobago
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.9186 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.882 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9542 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.53 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2012 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 812.28 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 482.78 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 455.57 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 442.79 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 898.36 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Trinidad and Tobago was 54.5% in 2024, 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
- The highest recorded value was 63.9% in 2006.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Trinidad and Tobago?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.5% in 1971.
- How does Trinidad and Tobago rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Trinidad and Tobago ranks 154th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Trinidad and Tobago?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Trinidad and Tobago 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.