LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas

Americas: LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization was 12.53 in 2027. ▼ Falling

Latest (2027)
12.53
Change on year
down 0.8%
Rank
52nd
of 87 groups
All-time high
19.77
in 2020
All-time low
12.53
in 2027
Years of data
23
2005–2027

LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas, 2005–2027

051015202005201620272005: 15.52006: 14.72007: 14.22008: 14.32009: 16.82010: 16.42011: 15.62012: 15.22013: 14.52014: 13.72015: 13.82016: 14.52017: 14.82018: 14.82019: 14.82020: 19.82021: 16.92022: 13.82023: 12.82024: 12.72025: 12.72026: 12.62027: 12.5

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

Americas recorded 12.53 for lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in 2027. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas peaked at 19.77 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.53, in 2027.

That places Americas 52nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas, year by year

Annual values for LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates) in Americas, 2005 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2005 15.52 —
2006 14.66 -5.5%
2007 14.2 -3.1%
2008 14.33 +0.9%
2009 16.78 +17.1%
2010 16.4 -2.3%
2011 15.62 -4.8%
2012 15.19 -2.7%
2013 14.51 -4.5%
2014 13.73 -5.4%
2015 13.76 +0.2%
2016 14.52 +5.5%
2017 14.77 +1.7%
2018 14.75 -0.1%
2019 14.83 +0.5%
2020 19.77 +33.3%
2021 16.95 -14.3%
2022 13.82 -18.4%
2023 12.79 -7.5%
2024 12.73 -0.5%
2025 12.68 -0.4%
2026 12.63 -0.4%
2027 12.53 -0.8%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas 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.

YearChange FromTo
2020 +33.3% 14.83 19.77

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 15.1 14.2 16.78 5
2010s 14.81 13.73 16.4 10
2020s 14.24 12.53 19.77 8

More work & labour data for Americas

All data for Americas →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas?
Lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas was 12.53 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization recorded in Americas?
The highest recorded value was 19.77 in 2020.
What is the lowest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization recorded in Americas?
The lowest recorded value was 12.53 in 2027.
How does Americas rank for lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization?
Americas ranks 52nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization rising or falling in Americas?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Americas data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization in Americas. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu4-composite-rate-of-labour-underutilization-ilo-modelled-estimates/americas/

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About this data

Indicator
LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,001 data points, 2005–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. LU4 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment, time-related underemployment or the potential labour force. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.