Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland

Ireland: Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level was 78.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
78.4%
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
19th
of 45 countries
All-time high
78.4%
in 2025
All-time low
61.6%
in 1995
Years of data
31
1995–2025

Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland, 1995–2025

0204060801995201020251995: 61.6 Percentage1996: 62.3 Percentage1997: 62.9 Percentage1998: 64.7 Percentage1999: 66.4 Percentage2000: 67.5 Percentage2001: 67.7 Percentage2002: 68 Percentage2003: 68.2 Percentage2004: 68.7 Percentage2005: 70.8 Percentage2006: 71.9 Percentage2007: 75.6 Percentage2008: 74.8 Percentage2009: 73 Percentage2010: 71.6 Percentage2011: 71.2 Percentage2012: 71.1 Percentage2013: 71.8 Percentage2014: 71.8 Percentage2015: 72.1 Percentage2016: 72.7 Percentage2017: 72.7 Percentage2018: 72.9 Percentage2019: 73.3 Percentage2020: 71.9 Percentage2021: 74.6 Percentage2022: 76.8 Percentage2023: 77.5 Percentage2024: 77.9 Percentage2025: 78.4 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 78.4% for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in 2025. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland peaked at 78.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 61.6%, in 1995.

That places Ireland 19th out of 45 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.

Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level, citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Ireland, 1995 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
1995 61.6%
1996 62.3% +1.1%
1997 62.9% +1.0%
1998 64.7% +2.9%
1999 66.4% +2.6%
2000 67.5% +1.7%
2001 67.7% +0.3%
2002 68.0% +0.4%
2003 68.2% +0.3%
2004 68.7% +0.7%
2005 70.8% +3.1%
2006 71.9% +1.6%
2007 75.6% +5.1%
2008 74.8% -1.1%
2009 73.0% -2.4%
2010 71.6% -1.9%
2011 71.2% -0.6%
2012 71.1% -0.1%
2013 71.8% +1.0%
2014 71.8% +0.0%
2015 72.1% +0.4%
2016 72.7% +0.8%
2017 72.7% +0.0%
2018 72.9% +0.3%
2019 73.3% +0.5%
2020 71.9% -1.9%
2021 74.6% +3.8%
2022 76.8% +2.9%
2023 77.5% +0.9%
2024 77.9% +0.5%
2025 78.4% +0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 63.6% 61.6% 66.4% 5
2000s 70.6% 67.5% 75.6% 10
2010s 72.1% 71.1% 73.3% 10
2020s 76.2% 71.9% 78.4% 6

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 16 Austria 78.9% compare
  2. 17 Portugal 78.8% compare
  3. 18 Hungary 78.6% compare
  4. 20 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 78.1% compare
  5. 20 United Kingdom 78.1% compare
  6. 22 Czechia 78.0% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland?
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland was 78.4% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 78.4% in 2025.
What is the lowest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 61.6% in 1995.
How does Ireland rank for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level?
Ireland ranks 19th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
Is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level, citizenship and degree of urbanisation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labour-force-participation-rates-by-educational-attainment-level-citizenship-and-degree/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level, citizenship and degree of urbanisation
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,285 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed