Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 39.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sri Lanka, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 39.2% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sri Lanka peaked at 45.6% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 39.1%, in 2022.
That places Sri Lanka 67th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 42.0% | — |
| 1992 | 41.8% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 41.7% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 41.8% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 41.7% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 41.6% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 41.4% | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 45.6% | +10.1% |
| 1999 | 43.7% | -4.3% |
| 2000 | 44.5% | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 42.2% | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 42.5% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 42.6% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 40.8% | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 40.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 44.4% | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 43.8% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 44.2% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 42.9% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 42.5% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 42.1% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 40.7% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 40.2% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 39.4% | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 39.3% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 39.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 39.5% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 40.0% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 40.0% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 39.1% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 39.3% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 39.3% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 39.2% | -0.3% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 39.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 1.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 39.2% is below the median for South Asia, which is 63.2%, 62% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 42.4% | 41.4% | 45.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 42.9% | 40.8% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.5% | 39.3% | 42.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.5% | 39.1% | 40.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More work & labour data for Sri Lanka
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5407 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.5702 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.3 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 6,575 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,218 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 10,672 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 10,578 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 21,249 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sri Lanka?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Sri Lanka was 39.2% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 45.6% in 1998.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.1% in 2022.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Sri Lanka ranks 67th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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).