Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Panama
Panama: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 37.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Panama, 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 Panama is 37.9%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Panama peaked at 42.1% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 27.3%, in 2008.
That places Panama 72nd out of 186 regions with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.7% | 33.3% | 34.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 33.8% | 27.3% | 35.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.3% | 30.8% | 38.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.3% | 36.1% | 42.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More work & labour data for Panama
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 66.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 70.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 54.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 71.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 82.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 61.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Panama?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Panama was 37.9% 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 42.1% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.3% in 2008.
- How does Panama rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Panama ranks 72nd out of 186 regions with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama 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.
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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).