Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iceland
Iceland: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 8.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iceland, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iceland is 8.4%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 29.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iceland peaked at 13.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 2025.
That places Iceland 159th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.5% | 11.9% | 13.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.4% | 11.1% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.6% | 11.1% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.5% | 8.4% | 12.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More work & labour data for Iceland
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 82.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 83.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 81.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 84.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 90.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 87.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 79.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iceland?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iceland was 8.4% 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 13.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 2025.
- How does Iceland rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Iceland ranks 159th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iceland 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).