Labour force: ICLS13) (15+) … previous ICLS13 15+ in Iceland
Iceland: Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 75.62 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Iceland, 1950–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Iceland stood at 75.62.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Iceland peaked at 83.85 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 42.16, in 1974.
That places Iceland 18th out of 210 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 62.39 | — |
| 1960 | 59.59 | -4.5% |
| 1974 | 42.16 | -29.2% |
| 1975 | 60.49 | +43.5% |
| 1976 | 60.45 | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 60.43 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 71.01 | +17.5% |
| 1980 | 44.85 | -36.8% |
| 1981 | 71.06 | +58.4% |
| 1982 | 71.56 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 72.32 | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 50.44 | -30.3% |
| 1986 | 51.54 | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 79.14 | +53.6% |
| 1992 | 80.03 | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 79.3 | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 79.38 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 82.25 | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 81.16 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 80.06 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 81.32 | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 82.74 | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 83.85 | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 83.51 | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 82.79 | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 83.08 | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 81.89 | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 81.35 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 82.46 | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 82.65 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 81.91 | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 80.32 | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 80.38 | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 79.8 | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 79.88 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 80.68 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 82.14 | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 82.99 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 83.81 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 82.88 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 81.84 | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 81.24 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 78.98 | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 73.51 | -6.9% |
| 2022 | 74.6 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 75.04 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 76.25 | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 75.62 | -0.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 75.62 is above the median for high income countries, which is 63.11, 1.2× the median. (80 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 75.62 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 61.7, 1.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +58.4% | 44.85 | 71.06 |
| 1991 | +53.6% | 51.54 | 79.14 |
| 1975 | +43.5% | 42.16 | 60.49 |
| 1980 | -36.8% | 71.01 | 44.85 |
| 1985 | -30.3% | 72.32 | 50.44 |
| 1974 | -29.2% | 59.59 | 42.16 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 62.39 | 62.39 | 62.39 | 1 |
| 1960s | 59.59 | 59.59 | 59.59 | 1 |
| 1970s | 58.91 | 42.16 | 71.01 | 5 |
| 1980s | 60.29 | 44.85 | 72.32 | 6 |
| 1990s | 80.6 | 79.14 | 82.74 | 9 |
| 2000s | 82.38 | 80.32 | 83.85 | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.57 | 79.8 | 83.81 | 10 |
| 2020s | 75.67 | 73.51 | 78.98 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More work & labour data for Iceland
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4964 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4501 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5492 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2312 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 373.77 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16.3 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 169.5 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 193.08 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 362.58 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Iceland?
- Labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Iceland was 75.62 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 83.85 in 2000.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.16 in 1974.
- How does Iceland rank for labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
- Iceland ranks 18th out of 210 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labour force participation rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The labour force participation rate is the labour force as a percent of the working-age population. The labour force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed. For more information, refer to the Labour Force Statistics (LFS and STLFS) database description.