France — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for France, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for France was 55.35% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 56.31% in 2009. The lowest was 54.27% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.01% per year.
France ranks 138 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 74%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so France sits below it. It peaked in 2009 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 0%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 38 of 49 economies; Ukraine (54.64%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 139th of 187 in 1990 → 139th of 187 in 2000 → 133rd of 187 in 2010 → 133rd of 187 in 2020 → 137th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55.35% | -0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 55.66% | -0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 55.94% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 55.84% | +0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 55.55% | +1.3 pp |
| 2020 | 54.27% | -0.7 pp |
| 2019 | 54.94% | -0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 55.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 55.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 55.4% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 55.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 55.76% | -0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 56.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 56.23% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 56.02% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 56.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 56.31% | +0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 56.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 56.06% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 55.92% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 55.99% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 55.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 55.99% | +0.6 pp |
| 2002 | 55.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 55.12% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 55.3% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 55.35% | +0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 55.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 54.96% | -0.4 pp |
| 1996 | 55.35% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 55.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 55.07% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 55.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 55.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 55.02% | -0.6 pp |
| 1990 | 55.6% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was France’s Labor participation in 1991?
55.02% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is France’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -0.5% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 55.35%; 2024: 55.66%; 2023: 55.94%; 2022: 55.84%; 2021: 55.55%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.