Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Norway
Norway: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 4.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Norway, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Norway recorded 4.2% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.7% on the previous year and down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Norway peaked at 9.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2025.
Norway ranks 178th of 186 countries on this measure, 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 Norway, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 9.4% | — |
| 1992 | 9.2% | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 8.9% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 8.5% | -4.4% |
| 1995 | 8.3% | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 7.2% | -12.8% |
| 1997 | 6.8% | -6.2% |
| 1998 | 6.8% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 6.0% | -11.8% |
| 2000 | 5.7% | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 5.8% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 5.9% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 5.7% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 5.6% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 6.5% | +16.1% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 5.5% | -10.3% |
| 2011 | 5.6% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 5.0% | -10.0% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 5.5% | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 5.2% | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 4.9% | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 4.7% | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 4.6% | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 4.4% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 4.3% | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 4.2% | -1.7% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 4.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 44% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Norway's 4.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.3%, 37% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.9% | 6.0% | 9.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.9% | 5.6% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.1% | 4.6% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.3% | 4.2% | 4.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More work & labour data for Norway
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.2413 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.2229 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7506 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,138 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 663.52 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,690 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,724 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,414 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Norway?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Norway was 4.2% 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2025.
- How does Norway rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Norway ranks 178th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Norway 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).