Labor force participation rate in Singapore
Singapore: Labor force participation rate was 69.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Singapore, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate in Singapore is 69.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Singapore peaked at 70.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 61.0%, in 1990.
Singapore ranks 30th 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 Singapore, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 61.0% | — |
| 1991 | 61.7% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 62.1% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 62.5% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 62.9% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 63.7% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 64.2% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 64.7% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 65.2% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 65.3% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 65.4% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 65.5% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 64.6% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 64.7% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 64.6% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 65.2% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 66.1% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 65.5% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 66.6% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 66.6% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 67.4% | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 67.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 67.9% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 67.8% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 68.6% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 69.5% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 69.2% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 68.9% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 68.6% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 69.0% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 68.7% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 70.7% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 69.7% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 69.4% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 69.2% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 69.7% | +0.7% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 69.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 69.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 63.3% | 61.0% | 65.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.5% | 64.6% | 66.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.4% | 67.4% | 69.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.6% | 68.7% | 70.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
More work & labour data for Singapore
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.967 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.9557 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.9779 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1059 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,575 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 0 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,077 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,086 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 4,163 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, per unit 0 1000 No per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Singapore?
- Labor force participation rate in Singapore was 69.7% 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 Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 70.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.0% in 1990.
- How does Singapore rank for labor force participation rate?
- Singapore ranks 30th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Singapore 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).