Labor force participation rate in Ukraine
Ukraine: Labor force participation rate was 54.6% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Ukraine, 1990–2021
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, labor force participation rate in Ukraine stood at 54.6%. That is the lowest value across all 32 years on record.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Ukraine peaked at 59.5% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 54.6%, in 2021.
That places Ukraine 140th out of 186 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Ukraine, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 59.5% | — |
| 1991 | 59.3% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 59.1% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 58.6% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 58.4% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 58.1% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 57.9% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 57.7% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 57.4% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 57.2% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 57.0% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 56.7% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 56.5% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 56.3% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 56.0% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 55.8% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 56.2% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 56.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 56.3% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 55.1% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 54.6% | -0.8% |
Ukraine compared with similar countries
- Ukraine's 54.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 90% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Ukraine's 54.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 60.2%, 91% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.5% | 57.4% | 59.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.4% | 55.8% | 57.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.3% | 56.3% | 56.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.9% | 54.6% | 55.1% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ukraine
More work & labour data for Ukraine
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.63 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.57 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1458 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 28,634 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 7,781 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 7,873 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 7,324 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 15,197 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Ukraine?
- Labor force participation rate in Ukraine was 54.6% in 2021, 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 Ukraine?
- The highest recorded value was 59.5% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Ukraine?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.6% in 2021.
- How does Ukraine rank for labor force participation rate?
- Ukraine ranks 140th out of 186 countries with data for 2021.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Ukraine?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ukraine 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
CSV · JSON — 32 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).