Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level, country of birth and NUTS 2 region by country
Countries reporting
50
Highest
88.1%
Iceland
Lowest
40.4%
Mayotte
Median
76.5%
Years covered
27
1999–2025
Data points
11,552
What the numbers show
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level, country of birth and NUTS 2 region is currently reported for 50 countries. The highest value is 88.1% in Iceland; the lowest is 40.4% in Mayotte.
The median across all reporting countries is 76.5%, and the mean is 75.1%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 2.
Over the past decade 47 countries rose and 2 fell. The largest increase was in Malta (up 20.1%), and the largest decrease in Mayotte (down 15.1%).
Labour force participation rates … country NUTS 2 region: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | 88.1% | 2025 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 2 | Netherlands | 85.6% | 2025 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 2 | Netherlands | 85.6% | 2025 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 4 | Switzerland | 84.1% | 2025 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 5 | Sweden | 84.0% | 2025 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 6 | Malta | 82.6% | 2025 | up 20.1% | rising |
| 7 | Denmark | 82.3% | 2025 | up 7.0% | flat |
| 8 | Estonia | 81.7% | 2025 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 8 | Estonia | 81.7% | 2025 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 10 | Cyprus | 80.4% | 2025 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 11 | Germany | 80.3% | 2025 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 11 | Norway | 80.3% | 2025 | up 2.7% | flat |
| 13 | Finland | 79.7% | 2025 | up 5.1% | flat |
| 13 | Lithuania | 79.7% | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 13 | Lithuania | 79.7% | 2025 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 16 | Austria | 78.9% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 17 | Portugal | 78.8% | 2025 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 18 | Hungary | 78.6% | 2025 | up 14.6% | rising |
| 19 | Ireland | 78.4% | 2025 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 20 | United Kingdom | 78.1% | 2019 | up 3.2% | flat |
| 20 | United Kingdom | 78.1% | 2019 | up 3.2% | flat |
| 22 | Czechia | 78.0% | 2025 | up 5.4% | rising |
| 23 | Latvia | 77.6% | 2025 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 23 | Latvia | 77.6% | 2025 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 25 | Slovak Republic | 76.5% | 2025 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 25 | Slovakia | 76.5% | 2025 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 27 | Slovenia | 75.8% | 2025 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 27 | Slovenia | 75.8% | 2025 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 29 | Poland | 75.2% | 2025 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 29 | Poland | 75.2% | 2025 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 31 | France | 75.1% | 2025 | up 5.5% | rising |
| 32 | Spain | 74.9% | 2025 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 33 | Luxembourg | 74.0% | 2025 | up 4.4% | rising |
| 34 | Bulgaria | 73.5% | 2025 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 35 | Serbia | 73.0% | 2025 | up 14.6% | rising |
| 35 | Serbia | 73.0% | 2025 | up 14.6% | rising |
| 37 | Croatia | 72.4% | 2025 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 37 | Croatia | 72.4% | 2025 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 39 | Belgium | 71.9% | 2025 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 40 | Greece | 70.9% | 2025 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 41 | Martinique | 70.8% | 2025 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 42 | Romania | 67.1% | 2025 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 43 | Italy | 66.7% | 2025 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 44 | North Macedonia | 66.6% | 2025 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 44 | North Macedonia | 66.6% | 2025 | up 2.6% | rising |
| 46 | Guadeloupe | 65.9% | 2025 | up 3.6% | flat |
| 47 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 62.8% | 2025 | — | rising |
| 48 | Montenegro | 61.5% | 2020 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 49 | Türkiye | 60.1% | 2025 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 50 | Mayotte | 40.4% | 2025 | down 15.1% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Ísland 88.1%
- Utrecht 87.6%
- Overijssel 86.6%
- Flevoland 86.6%
- Oost-Nederland 86.4%
- Noord-Holland 86.4%
- Zentralschweiz 86.3%
- Noord-Brabant 86.3%
- Zürich 86.2%
- Gelderland 86.2%
- Zürich 86.2%
- Ostschweiz 86.0%
- Stockholm 85.8%
- Zeeland 85.7%
- Espace Mittelland 85.6%
- Friesland (NL) 85.6%
- Drenthe 85.6%
- West-Nederland 85.6%
- Zuid-Nederland 85.4%
- Hovedstaden 84.9%
- Mellersta Norrland 84.9%
- Nordwestschweiz 84.8%
- Noord-Nederland 84.7%
- Östra Sverige 84.4%
- Åland 84.3%
- Zuid-Holland 84.3%
- Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera 84.1%
- Västsverige 84.1%
- Oberbayern 83.9%
- Dresden 83.8%
- Södra Sverige 83.8%
- Norra Sverige 83.7%
- Schwaben 83.6%
- Småland med öarna 83.6%
- Övre Norrland 83.6%
- Niederbayern 83.5%
- Bayern 83.4%
- Sydsverige 83.4%
- Tübingen 83.3%
- Norra Mellansverige 83.2%