Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Australia
Australia: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 9.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Australia, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Australia recorded 9.1% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Australia peaked at 12.9% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 9.1%, in 2025.
That places Australia 156th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Australia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.7% | — |
| 1992 | 12.8% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 12.8% | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 12.7% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 12.8% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 12.7% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 12.6% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 12.6% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 12.5% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 12.3% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 12.2% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 11.8% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | +6.2% |
| 2005 | 11.8% | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 11.6% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 10.3% | -11.0% |
| 2008 | 9.5% | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 10.8% | +14.1% |
| 2010 | 10.6% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 10.2% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 10.4% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 10.1% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 10.2% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 10.4% | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 10.0% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 9.8% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 9.8% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 9.6% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 9.6% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 9.4% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 9.3% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 9.1% | -0.7% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 9.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 96% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Australia's 9.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 33.6%, 27% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.7% | 12.6% | 12.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.5% | 9.5% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.2% | 9.8% | 10.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.4% | 9.1% | 9.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Australia?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Australia was 9.1% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 12.9% in 1993.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.1% in 2025.
- How does Australia rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Australia ranks 156th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).