Persons outside: quarterly data … quarterly willingness work not in Estonia
Estonia: Persons outside: quarterly data … quarterly willingness work not was 258.8 Thousand persons in 2026. ▼ Falling
Latest (2026)
258.8 Thousand persons
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
42nd
of 47 countries
All-time high
387.5 Thousand persons
in 2001
All-time low
254.3 Thousand persons
in 2022
Years of data
29
1998–2026
Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Estonia, 1998–2026
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.
Analysis
In 2026, persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Estonia stood at 258.8 Thousand persons.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.1% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Estonia peaked at 387.5 Thousand persons in 2001 and was at its lowest, 254.3 Thousand persons, in 2022.
That places Estonia 42nd out of 47 countries with data for 2026, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Persons outside: quarterly data … quarterly willingness work not in Estonia, year by year
| Year | Thousand persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 370.8 Thousand persons | — |
| 1999 | 383.4 Thousand persons | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 386.7 Thousand persons | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 387.5 Thousand persons | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 381.8 Thousand persons | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 376.9 Thousand persons | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 383.2 Thousand persons | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 380.6 Thousand persons | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 354.8 Thousand persons | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 355.9 Thousand persons | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 328.4 Thousand persons | -7.7% |
| 2009 | 346.3 Thousand persons | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 340.2 Thousand persons | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 328 Thousand persons | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 326.9 Thousand persons | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 319.9 Thousand persons | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 309.3 Thousand persons | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 293.6 Thousand persons | -5.1% |
| 2016 | 287.6 Thousand persons | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 263.2 Thousand persons | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 262.2 Thousand persons | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 264.8 Thousand persons | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 264.3 Thousand persons | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 271.7 Thousand persons | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 254.3 Thousand persons | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 258.6 Thousand persons | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 256.8 Thousand persons | -0.7% |
| 2025 | 267.1 Thousand persons | +4.0% |
| 2026 | 258.8 Thousand persons | -3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 377.1 Thousand persons | 370.8 Thousand persons | 383.4 Thousand persons | 2 |
| 2000s | 368.21 Thousand persons | 328.4 Thousand persons | 387.5 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 299.57 Thousand persons | 262.2 Thousand persons | 340.2 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 261.66 Thousand persons | 254.3 Thousand persons | 271.7 Thousand persons | 7 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
More work & labour data for Estonia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 42.7 Persons (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 21.94 Persons (2022)
- Employment rates by educational attainment level, country of birth 75.4% (2025)
- Employed persons by job tenure and NUTS 2 region 693.1 Thousand persons (2025)
- Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level 81.7% (2025)
- Population in private households by citizenship, labour status and 1,012 Thousand persons (2025)
- Employed persons by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region 693.1 Thousand persons (2025)
- Employed persons by professional status and NUTS 2 region 693.1 Thousand persons (2025)
- Average actual weekly hours worked in the main job of persons who 35.6 Hour (2025)
- Employed persons by NUTS 2 region 693.1 Thousand persons (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Estonia?
- Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by in Estonia was 258.8 Thousand persons in 2026, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by recorded in Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 387.5 Thousand persons in 2001.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 254.3 Thousand persons in 2022.
- How does Estonia rank for persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by?
- Estonia ranks 42nd out of 47 countries with data for 2026.
- Is persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Estonia data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force not seeking employment by willingness to work - quarterly data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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