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.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13.4% | — |
| 1992 | 12.6% | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 13.0% | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 12.7% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 12.2% | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 12.0% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 12.1% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 11.9% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 11.8% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 11.6% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 11.6% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 11.3% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 11.3% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 11.4% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 11.4% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 11.2% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 11.1% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 11.1% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 11.4% | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 11.5% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 11.8% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 11.9% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 11.9% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 11.7% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 11.5% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 11.4% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 11.1% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 11.1% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.4% | +11.0% |
| 2022 | 12.0% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 10.3% | -14.7% |
| 2024 | 8.5% | -17.7% |
| 2025 | 8.4% | -0.8% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 8.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 88% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 8.4% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.3%, 74% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
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
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.4964 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.4501 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5492 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.2312 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 373.77 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 16.3 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 169.5 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 193.08 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 362.58 1000 No (2100)
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).