Ireland — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Ireland, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Ireland was 64.84% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 66.62% in 2007. The lowest was 60.18% in 1992 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.20% per year.
Ireland ranks 62 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 33%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Ireland sits above it. It peaked in 2007 and has fallen 3% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 5%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 10 of 49 economies; Sweden (64.59%) is just below it. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 97th of 187 in 1990 → 71st of 187 in 2000 → 80th of 187 in 2010 → 87th of 187 in 2020 → 61st of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64.84% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 65.01% | -1.2 pp |
| 2023 | 66.18% | +1.7 pp |
| 2022 | 64.44% | +0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 63.55% | +2.5 pp |
| 2020 | 61.09% | -1.2 pp |
| 2019 | 62.31% | +0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 62.14% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 61.92% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 62.12% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 61.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 61.71% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 61.91% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 61.59% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 61.93% | -0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 62.6% | -1.5 pp |
| 2009 | 64.08% | -1.9 pp |
| 2008 | 65.94% | -0.7 pp |
| 2007 | 66.62% | +0.5 pp |
| 2006 | 66.09% | +0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 65.67% | +1.3 pp |
| 2004 | 64.36% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 64.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 64.43% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 64.46% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 64.36% | +0.6 pp |
| 1999 | 63.73% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 63.33% | +0.9 pp |
| 1997 | 62.39% | -0.5 pp |
| 1996 | 62.93% | +1.2 pp |
| 1995 | 61.72% | +0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 61.3% | +0.5 pp |
| 1993 | 60.78% | +0.6 pp |
| 1992 | 60.18% | -0.7 pp |
| 1991 | 60.92% | +0.4 pp |
| 1990 | 60.49% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Ireland’s Labor participation in 1991?
60.92% (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 Ireland’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +7.2% in total — about 0.2% 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: 64.84%; 2024: 65.01%; 2023: 66.18%; 2022: 64.44%; 2021: 63.55%. 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.