Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Iceland

Iceland: Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) was 7.73 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
7.73
Change on year
up 13.9%
World rank
58th
of 61 countries
All-time high
9.29
in 2015
All-time low
5.41
in 2018
Years of data
10
2014–2023

Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Iceland, 2014–2023

02468102014201820232014: 8.72015: 9.32016: 8.42017: 7.72018: 5.42019: 5.92020: 8.22021: 8.82022: 6.82023: 7.7

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19) in Iceland is 7.73, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of up 13.9% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19) in Iceland peaked at 9.29 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.41, in 2018.

That places Iceland 58th out of 61 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+) in Iceland, 2014 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2014 8.72
2015 9.29 +6.6%
2016 8.37 -9.9%
2017 7.7 -8.0%
2018 5.41 -29.8%
2019 5.87 +8.7%
2020 8.2 +39.6%
2021 8.76 +6.8%
2022 6.79 -22.5%
2023 7.73 +13.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 7.56 5.41 9.29 6
2020s 7.87 6.79 8.76 4

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 55 Luxembourg 19.72 compare
  2. 56 Slovenia 15.66 compare
  3. 57 United Arab Emirates 15.5 compare
  4. 59 Cyprus 6.82 compare
  5. 60 Malta 2.42 compare
  6. 61 Barbados 1.1 compare

See the full ranking of 61 places →

More work & labour data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19) in Iceland?
Potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19) in Iceland was 7.73 in 2023, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19) recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 9.29 in 2015.
What is the lowest potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19) recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 5.41 in 2018.
How does Iceland rank for potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19)?
Iceland ranks 58th out of 61 countries with data for 2023.
Is potential labour force (current ilo definition - icls19) rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Iceland data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-current-ilo-definition-icls19-15/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
61 places, 595 data points, 2014–2025
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series includes only countries for which the 19th ICLS definitions are applied. The potential labour force refers to persons not in employment who express an interest in this form of work but for whom existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability. This group is used to calculate alternative measures of labour underutilization. For more information, refer to the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database description.