Potential labour force rate in South America

South America: Potential labour force rate was 4.96 in 2027. ▬ Flat

Latest (2027)
4.96
Change on year
down 0.7%
Rank
32nd
of 87 groups
All-time high
8.28
in 2020
All-time low
4.11
in 2014
Years of data
24
2004–2027

Potential labour force rate in South America, 2004–2027

024682004201520272004: 5.92005: 5.82006: 5.52007: 5.22008: 52009: 5.12010: 5.12011: 4.92012: 4.92013: 4.42014: 4.12015: 4.22016: 4.82017: 5.12018: 5.42019: 5.52020: 8.32021: 6.62022: 5.42023: 4.92024: 4.82025: 5.12026: 52027: 5

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for potential labour force rate in South America is 4.96, measured in 2027.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force rate in South America peaked at 8.28 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.11, in 2014.

South America ranks 32nd of 87 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Potential labour force rate in South America, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force rate (ILO modelled estimates) in South America, 2004 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2004 5.95
2005 5.78 -2.8%
2006 5.46 -5.5%
2007 5.18 -5.2%
2008 4.98 -3.9%
2009 5.14 +3.2%
2010 5.05 -1.6%
2011 4.88 -3.3%
2012 4.86 -0.6%
2013 4.39 -9.5%
2014 4.11 -6.4%
2015 4.21 +2.5%
2016 4.78 +13.5%
2017 5.09 +6.5%
2018 5.38 +5.6%
2019 5.49 +2.2%
2020 8.28 +50.7%
2021 6.64 -19.8%
2022 5.4 -18.6%
2023 4.88 -9.6%
2024 4.77 -2.3%
2025 5.08 +6.4%
2026 4.99 -1.7%
2027 4.96 -0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.41 4.98 5.95 6
2010s 4.83 4.11 5.49 10
2020s 5.63 4.77 8.28 8

More work & labour data for South America

All data for South America →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force rate in South America?
Potential labour force rate in South America was 4.96 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force rate recorded in South America?
The highest recorded value was 8.28 in 2020.
What is the lowest potential labour force rate recorded in South America?
The lowest recorded value was 4.11 in 2014.
How does South America rank for potential labour force rate?
South America ranks 32nd out of 87 groups with data for 2027.
Is potential labour force rate rising or falling in South America?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South America data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Potential labour force rate (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).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Potential labour force rate in South America. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-rate-ilo-modelled-estimates/south-america/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-rate-ilo-modelled-estimates/south-america/">Potential labour force rate in South America</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force rate (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 2,088 data points, 2004–2027
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. The potential labour force rate is the potential labour force as a percent of the extended labour force. 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. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.