Labour force participation rate in European Union
European Union: Labour force participation rate was 58.2 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labour force participation rate in European Union, 2005–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup.
Analysis
European Union recorded 58.2 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup for labour force participation rate in 2025. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rate in European Union peaked at 58.2 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2025 and was at its lowest, 56 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup, in 2005.
Labour force participation rate in European Union, year by year
| Year | Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 56 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | — |
| 2006 | 56.23 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 56.45 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 56.7 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 56.67 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 56.62 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 56.58 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 56.85 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 56.83 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 56.88 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 56.83 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 56.98 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 57.23 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 57.27 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 57.38 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 56.75 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 57.08 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 57.6 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 57.92 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 58.05 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 58.2 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 56.41 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 56 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 56.7 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 5 |
| 2010s | 56.94 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 56.58 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 57.38 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.6 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 56.75 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 58.2 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 6 |
Countries ranked near European Union
- 3 Lithuania 63.08 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 3 Sweden 67.53 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 3 Croatia 54.1 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 4 Latvia 61.62 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 4 Switzerland 67.33 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 5 Australia 66.92 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 5 Slovenia 58.5 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 6 Ireland 66.12 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 7 Norway 65.5 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 7 Poland 58.08 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 8 Canada 65.28 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 9 Denmark 65.15 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 9 Türkiye 53.52 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
More work & labour data for European Union
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 38.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 43.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 40.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 70.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 75.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 81.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour force participation rate in European Union?
- Labour force participation rate in European Union was 58.2 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest labour force participation rate recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 58.2 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2025.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rate recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 56 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2005.
- How does European Union rank for labour force participation rate?
- European Union ranks 6th out of 9 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labour force participation rate rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this European Union data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Labour force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the labour force participation rate is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the labour force participation rate by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The labour force participation rate is calculated as the number of the labour force population as a percentage of the working age population. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.