Germany — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Germany, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Germany was 60.57% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 61.31% in 2019. The lowest was 57.46% in 2004 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.12% per year.
Germany ranks 99 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 53%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Germany sits above it. It peaked in 2019 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 21 of 49 economies; Latvia (60.52%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 118th of 187 in 1990 → 126th of 187 in 2000 → 112th of 187 in 2010 → 91st of 187 in 2020 → 98th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60.57% | -0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 60.92% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 61.05% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 60.84% | +0.4 pp |
| 2021 | 60.4% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 60.48% | -0.8 pp |
| 2019 | 61.31% | +0.4 pp |
| 2018 | 60.86% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 60.66% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 60.41% | +0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 60.22% | -0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 60.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 60.28% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 59.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 59.85% | +0.5 pp |
| 2010 | 59.31% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 59.21% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 59.09% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 59.07% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 59% | +0.7 pp |
| 2005 | 58.33% | +0.9 pp |
| 2004 | 57.46% | -0.4 pp |
| 2003 | 57.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 57.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 57.9% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 57.99% | -0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 58.34% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 58.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 58.23% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 58.01% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 58.25% | -0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 58.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 58.55% | -0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 59.08% | -0.5 pp |
| 1991 | 59.6% | +1.4 pp |
| 1990 | 58.17% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Germany’s Labor participation in 1991?
59.6% (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 Germany’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +4.1% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
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: 60.57%; 2024: 60.92%; 2023: 61.05%; 2022: 60.84%; 2021: 60.4%. 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.