Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 35.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific stood at 35.3%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 52.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 35.3%, in 2025.
That places East Asia & Pacific 28th out of 47 groups 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.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 52.4% | — |
| 1992 | 51.9% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 51.3% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 50.7% | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 50.2% | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 49.6% | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 48.9% | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 48.7% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 48.3% | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 47.9% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 47.0% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 46.5% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 46.1% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 45.1% | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 44.4% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 43.8% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 43.3% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 42.6% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 42.0% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 41.4% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 40.7% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 40.0% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 39.5% | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 38.9% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 38.0% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 37.5% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 37.1% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 36.7% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 36.4% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 36.7% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 36.4% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 36.2% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 36.0% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 35.6% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 35.3% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 50.2% | 48.3% | 52.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 44.9% | 42.0% | 47.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.6% | 36.4% | 41.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.0% | 35.3% | 36.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 25 India 71.6% compare
- 26 Papua New Guinea 71.2% compare
- 27 Zambia 70.2% compare
- 28 Côte d'Ivoire 69.4% compare
- 29 Bhutan 69.0% compare
- 30 Solomon Islands 68.7% compare
- 31 Zimbabwe 68.2% compare
More work & labour data for East Asia & Pacific
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 43.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 49.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 46.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 67.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 58.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 72.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 80.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in East Asia & Pacific was 35.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 52.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.3% in 2025.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 28th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.