This snapshot presents global and regional trends along with the most recent country-level figures, based on the latest statistical standards and definitions adopted at the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) (ILO, 2013), as well as the previous standards from the 13th ICLS (ILO, 1982). In some cases, such as for high-income countries, these statistics may be identical. For more details, refer to the relevant databases and their descriptions.
Quick definition: The labour force participation rate is the share of persons who are in the labour force as a percent of the working-age population. The labour force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.
Indicator catalogue
(Select up to 3)
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Labour force
89 tables
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, education and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, education and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, marital status and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, marital status and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, marital status and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, marital status and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (%) | Monthly |
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex, household type and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex, household type and presence of children (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and school attendance status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and school attendance status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2025 (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2025 (%) | Annual |
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex and household type -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2023 (%) | Annual |
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| Prime-age labour force by sex and household type -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2023 (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (%) | Quarterly |
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Labour Force Statistics (LFS)
6 tables
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Monthly |
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ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST)
4 tables
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| Labour force by sex and age -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2025 (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2025 (%) | Annual |
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex and household type -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2023 (%) | Annual |
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| Prime-age labour force by sex and household type -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2023 (thousands) | Annual |
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Work Statistics 19th ICLS (WORK)
4 tables
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| Labour force by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (%) | Quarterly |
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Youth Labour Market Indicators (YouthSTATS)
8 tables
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and school attendance status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and school attendance status (%) | Annual |
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Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination Indicators (GEND)
12 tables
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| Labour force by sex, age and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Monthly |
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex, household type and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex, household type and presence of children (%) | Annual |
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Disability Labour Market Indicators (DLMI)
20 tables
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| Labour force by sex, age and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, education and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, marital status and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, marital status and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, marital status and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, marital status and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (%) | Monthly |
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Rural and Urban Labour Markets (RURBAN)
16 tables
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI)
19 tables
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, education and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, education and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and marital status (%) | Annual |
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Labour force (previous ILO definition)
34 tables
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, age and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, age and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and education (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, education and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, education and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, education and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and marital status (thousands) | Monthly |
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| Labour force by sex, marital status and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex, marital status and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and disability status (thousands) | Quarterly |
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Labour force, SA (previous ILO definition)
2 tables
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| Labour force by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (thousands) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (thousands) | Monthly |
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Labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition)
33 tables
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, age and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and education (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, education and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and rural / urban areas (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban area and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, rural / urban areas and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and marital status (%) | Monthly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, marital status and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex, marital status and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and disability status (%) | Quarterly |
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Labour force participation rate, SA (previous ILO definition)
2 tables
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (%) | Quarterly |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age, seasonally adjusted series (%) | Monthly |
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Prime-age labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition)
2 tables
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex, household type and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex, household type and presence of children (%) | Annual |
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Youth labour force (previous ILO definition)
4 tables
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and education (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and rural / urban areas (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and school attendance status (thousands) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force by sex, age and disability status (thousands) | Annual |
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Youth labour force participation rate (previous ILO definition)
4 tables
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and education (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and rural / urban areas (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and disability status (%) | Annual |
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| Youth labour force participation rate by sex, age and school attendance status (%) | Annual |
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Labour force (ILO modelled estimates)
1 table
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| Labour force by sex and age -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2025 (thousands) | Annual |
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Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates)
1 table
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2025 (%) | Annual |
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Prime-age labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates)
1 table
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| Prime-age labour force participation rate by sex and household type -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2023 (%) | Annual |
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Prime-age labour force (ILO modelled estimates)
1 table
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| Prime-age labour force by sex and household type -- ILO modelled estimates, Nov. 2023 (thousands) | Annual |
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Labour force (current ILO definition)
2 tables
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| Labour force by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (thousands) | Annual |
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| Labour force by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (thousands) | Quarterly |
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Labour force participation rate (current ILO definition)
2 tables
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (%) | Annual |
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| Labour force participation rate by sex and age -- 19th ICLS (%) | Quarterly |
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No matching tables found.