Labor force participation rate in Kuwait
Kuwait: Labor force participation rate was 73.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
73.4%
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
22nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
74.4%
in 2022
All-time low
63.4%
in 1992
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Kuwait, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Kuwait stood at 73.4%.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Kuwait peaked at 74.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 63.4%, in 1992.
Kuwait ranks 22nd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64.9% | — |
| 1991 | 64.1% | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 63.4% | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 63.9% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 65.9% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 67.3% | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 67.3% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 66.8% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 66.3% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 66.0% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 65.9% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 66.1% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 66.5% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 67.1% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 67.9% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 68.3% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 68.1% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 67.9% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 67.9% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 68.2% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 68.7% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 69.7% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 70.7% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 71.3% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 71.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 72.3% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 72.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 73.4% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 73.6% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 73.3% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 69.2% | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 70.6% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 74.4% | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 74.0% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 73.6% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 73.4% | -0.3% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 73.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 1.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Kuwait's 73.4% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 45.0%, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.6% | 63.4% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.4% | 65.9% | 68.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.8% | 68.7% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.5% | 69.2% | 74.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More work & labour data for Kuwait
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.801 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7211 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.9054 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2002)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4407 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,644 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 0 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 4,171 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,431 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 9,602 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Kuwait?
- Labor force participation rate in Kuwait was 73.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 74.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.4% in 1992.
- How does Kuwait rank for labor force participation rate?
- Kuwait ranks 22nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).