Norway — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Norway, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Norway was 65.61% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 68.42% in 2008. The lowest was 61.55% in 1990 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.18% per year.
Norway ranks 55 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 29%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Norway sits above it. It peaked in 2008 and has fallen 4% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 1%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 7 of 49 economies; Estonia (65.13%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 90th of 187 in 1990 → 53rd of 187 in 2000 → 46th of 187 in 2010 → 50th of 187 in 2020 → 54th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65.61% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 65.83% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 65.94% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 65.96% | +0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 65.68% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 65.68% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 65.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 65.91% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 65.66% | -0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 66.2% | -0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 66.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 66.56% | -0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 66.94% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 67.08% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 67.14% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 67.33% | -0.7 pp |
| 2009 | 68.02% | -0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 68.43% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 68.42% | +0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 68.17% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 67.91% | +0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 67.63% | +0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 67.39% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 67.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 67.1% | +0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 66.79% | +0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 66.39% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 65.95% | +0.6 pp |
| 1997 | 65.35% | +0.7 pp |
| 1996 | 64.63% | +0.7 pp |
| 1995 | 63.95% | +0.6 pp |
| 1994 | 63.36% | +0.6 pp |
| 1993 | 62.8% | +0.5 pp |
| 1992 | 62.32% | +0.4 pp |
| 1991 | 61.9% | +0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 61.55% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Norway’s Labor participation in 1991?
61.9% (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 Norway’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +6.6% 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: 65.61%; 2024: 65.83%; 2023: 65.94%; 2022: 65.96%; 2021: 65.68%. 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.