Potential labour force in Europe and Central Asia
Europe and Central Asia: Potential labour force was 14,726 in 2027. ▼ Falling
Potential labour force in Europe and Central Asia, 2004–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, potential labour force in Europe and Central Asia stood at 14,726.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, potential labour force in Europe and Central Asia peaked at 20,122 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 14,647, in 2024.
Europe and Central Asia ranks 28th of 87 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Potential labour force in Europe and Central Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 18,031 | — |
| 2005 | 18,399 | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 18,196 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 17,219 | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 16,907 | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 18,350 | +8.5% |
| 2010 | 18,584 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 18,546 | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 18,637 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 19,045 | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 19,459 | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 19,161 | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 18,626 | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 17,525 | -5.9% |
| 2018 | 16,700 | -4.7% |
| 2019 | 16,807 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 20,122 | +19.7% |
| 2021 | 17,877 | -11.2% |
| 2022 | 15,742 | -11.9% |
| 2023 | 14,771 | -6.2% |
| 2024 | 14,647 | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 14,763 | +0.8% |
| 2026 | 14,772 | +0.1% |
| 2027 | 14,726 | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17,850 | 16,907 | 18,399 | 6 |
| 2010s | 18,309 | 16,700 | 19,459 | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,927 | 14,647 | 20,122 | 8 |
More work & labour data for Europe and Central Asia
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 452,116 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 57.53 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 333,753 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.1537 % change on previous year (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.04 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) 57.53 (2027)
- NEET: Youth not in employment, education or training 15,014 (2027)
- NEET rate: Share of youth not in employment, education or training 13.29 (2027)
- Employment 428,680 (2025)
- Potential labour force and willing non-jobseekers 27,376 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is potential labour force in Europe and Central Asia?
- Potential labour force in Europe and Central Asia was 14,726 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest potential labour force recorded in Europe and Central Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 20,122 in 2020.
- What is the lowest potential labour force recorded in Europe and Central Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,647 in 2024.
- How does Europe and Central Asia rank for potential labour force?
- Europe and Central Asia ranks 28th out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
- Is potential labour force rising or falling in Europe and Central Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Europe and Central Asia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
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. 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 ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.