Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in North America
North America: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 4.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in North America, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
North America recorded 4.5% for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in North America peaked at 5.3% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 4.4%, in 2023.
North America ranks 47th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 5.1% | — |
| 1992 | 5.1% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 5.2% | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 5.2% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 5.2% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 5.2% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 5.2% | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 5.1% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 4.9% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 5.0% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 5.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 4.8% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 4.7% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 4.9% | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 4.9% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 4.8% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 4.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 4.7% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 4.7% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 4.7% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 4.7% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 4.6% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 4.7% | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 4.5% | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 4.5% | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 4.5% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.9% | 4.7% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.7% | 4.6% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 44 Vanuatu 58.0% compare
- 45 Bangladesh 57.3% compare
- 46 Comoros 56.8% compare
- 47 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 56.8% compare
- 48 Pakistan 55.5% compare
- 49 Azerbaijan 53.8% compare
- 50 Mauritania 53.3% compare
More work & labour data for North America
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 69.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 74.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.8% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in North America?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in North America was 4.5% 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 1997.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.4% in 2023.
- How does North America rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- North America ranks 47th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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.