Italy — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Italy, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Italy was 49.30% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 50.33% in 1991. The lowest was 46.87% in 1995 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.04% per year.
Italy ranks 161 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 86%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Italy sits below it. It peaked in 1991 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 46 of 49 economies; Bosnia and Herzegovina (48.99%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 157th of 187 in 1990 → 169th of 187 in 2000 → 167th of 187 in 2010 → 160th of 187 in 2020 → 159th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 49.3% | -0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 49.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 49.8% | +0.8 pp |
| 2022 | 49.03% | +0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 48.44% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 48.22% | -1.4 pp |
| 2019 | 49.59% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 49.62% | +0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 49.5% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 49.16% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 48.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 48.73% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 48.49% | -0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 48.81% | +0.9 pp |
| 2011 | 47.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 47.99% | -0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 48.28% | -0.6 pp |
| 2008 | 48.92% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 48.58% | -0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 48.88% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 48.92% | -0.6 pp |
| 2004 | 49.49% | +0.9 pp |
| 2003 | 48.62% | +0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 48.24% | +0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 47.88% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 47.82% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 47.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 47.57% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 47.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 47.28% | +0.4 pp |
| 1995 | 46.87% | -0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 47.24% | -0.7 pp |
| 1993 | 47.99% | -0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 48.52% | -1.8 pp |
| 1991 | 50.33% | +0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 50.07% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Italy’s Labor participation in 1991?
50.33% (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 Italy’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -1.5% 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: 49.3%; 2024: 49.59%; 2023: 49.8%; 2022: 49.03%; 2021: 48.44%. 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.