Employment by status in Spain
Spain: Employment by status was 85.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Employment by status in Spain, 1991–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment by status in Spain is 85.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment by status in Spain peaked at 85.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 73.7%, in 1993.
Spain ranks 43rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Employment by status in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 74.4% | — |
| 1992 | 73.8% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 73.7% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 73.9% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 74.7% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 75.1% | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 76.2% | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 77.2% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 78.5% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 79.8% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 80.0% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 81.0% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 81.8% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 81.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 81.9% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 82.1% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 82.4% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 82.2% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 83.1% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 83.1% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 83.5% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 82.9% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 82.5% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 82.1% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 82.6% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 83.3% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 83.3% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 83.9% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 84.3% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 83.9% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 84.6% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 85.2% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 85.3% | +0.2% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 85.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 86.7%, 98% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Spain's 85.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 85.3%, 100% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 75.3% | 73.7% | 78.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 81.6% | 79.8% | 83.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.2% | 82.1% | 84.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.6% | 83.9% | 85.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More work & labour data for Spain
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.527 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.5576 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.4982 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1207 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,073 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,322 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 17,076 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 16,051 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 33,128 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment by status in Spain?
- Employment by status in Spain was 85.3% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment by status recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 85.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest employment by status recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.7% in 1993.
- How does Spain rank for employment by status?
- Spain ranks 43rd out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is employment by status rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment by status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of people in employment working as employees, as a percentage of total employment.