Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq
Iraq: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 27.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq stood at 27.1%.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq peaked at 35.5% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 26.6%, in 2018.
Iraq ranks 97th 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 | 35.2% | 34.4% | 35.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 33.4% | 31.9% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.2% | 26.6% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.1% | 27.0% | 27.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More work & labour data for Iraq
- 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 (%) 27.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 41.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 72.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 5.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 47.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 10.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Iraq was 27.1% 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 35.5% in 1996.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.6% in 2018.
- How does Iraq rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Iraq ranks 97th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iraq 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).