Labor force participation rate in Pakistan
Pakistan: Labor force participation rate was 52.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
52.3%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
148th
of 186 countries
All-time high
52.7%
in 2021
All-time low
48.4%
in 1995
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Labor force participation rate in Pakistan, 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 Pakistan stood at 52.3%.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Pakistan peaked at 52.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 48.4%, in 1995.
That places Pakistan 148th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 49.4% | — |
| 1991 | 49.7% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 49.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 49.2% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 48.4% | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 49.2% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 50.1% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 50.0% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 50.2% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 50.4% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 50.4% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 50.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 50.6% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 50.7% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 50.4% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 50.0% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 50.1% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 50.5% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 51.0% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 50.8% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 51.1% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 51.5% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 51.0% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 52.0% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 51.7% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 51.3% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 51.0% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 51.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 51.6% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 52.4% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 52.4% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 52.3% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 52.3% | +0.1% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 52.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 57.7%, 91% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 52.3% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 45.0%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.5% | 48.4% | 50.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.4% | 50.0% | 50.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.3% | 50.8% | 52.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.3% | 51.6% | 52.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 145 Sierra Leone 53.4% compare
- 146 Guinea 52.6% compare
- 147 French Polynesia 52.4% compare
- 149 Cuba 52.2% compare
- 150 Croatia 52.1% compare
- 151 Papua New Guinea 52.1% compare
More work & labour data for Pakistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1658 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1724 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.4553 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 160,228 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 146,712 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 259,090 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 251,911 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 511,001 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Pakistan?
- Labor force participation rate in Pakistan was 52.3% 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 52.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.4% in 1995.
- How does Pakistan rank for labor force participation rate?
- Pakistan ranks 148th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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).