Labor force participation rate in Vietnam
Vietnam: Labor force participation rate was 72.8% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate in Vietnam, 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 Vietnam stood at 72.8%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Vietnam peaked at 78.2% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 72.8%, in 2025.
That places Vietnam 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Labor force participation rate in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 78.2% | — |
| 1991 | 78.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 77.9% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 77.7% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 77.5% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 77.3% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 77.1% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 76.1% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 75.3% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 74.5% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 73.4% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 74.9% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 74.4% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 74.1% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 74.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 74.2% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 74.6% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 75.0% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 75.6% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 76.0% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 76.3% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 76.4% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 76.3% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 77.2% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 77.3% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 77.4% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 77.0% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 77.2% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 77.5% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 76.6% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 74.4% | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 73.7% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 74.5% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 73.5% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 73.1% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 72.8% | -0.5% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 72.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 1.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 72.8% 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 | 77.0% | 74.5% | 78.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.6% | 73.4% | 76.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.9% | 76.3% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.7% | 72.8% | 74.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
More work & labour data for Vietnam
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 22,535 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 71.95 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 57,816 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 1.61 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.806 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 30,426 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 8,480 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 70.79 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 3.1 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.7361 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Vietnam?
- Labor force participation rate in Vietnam was 72.8% 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 Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 78.2% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 72.8% in 2025.
- How does Vietnam rank for labor force participation rate?
- Vietnam ranks 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Vietnam 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).