Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iran
Iran: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 39.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iran, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iran recorded 39.5% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iran peaked at 44.6% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 39.5%, in 2022.
Iran ranks 65th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.1% | 43.9% | 44.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 43.2% | 41.8% | 43.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.2% | 40.2% | 42.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.8% | 39.5% | 40.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More work & labour data for Iran
- Women can take the same jobs as men 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 35.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 41.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 9.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 22.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 14.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iran?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iran was 39.5% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 44.6% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.5% in 2022.
- How does Iran rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Iran ranks 65th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran 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).