Switzerland — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Switzerland, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Switzerland was 66.75% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 68.66% in 2016. The lowest was 64.01% in 1994 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.09% per year.
Switzerland ranks 48 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 26%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Switzerland sits above it. It peaked in 2016 and has fallen 3% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 2%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 6 of 49 economies; Norway (65.61%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 5% in 1996.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 70th of 187 in 1990 → 50th of 187 in 2000 → 48th of 187 in 2010 → 35th of 187 in 2020 → 47th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 66.75% | -0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 67.1% | -0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 67.45% | +0.4 pp |
| 2022 | 67.08% | -0.7 pp |
| 2021 | 67.74% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 67.98% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 68.32% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 68.58% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 68.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 68.66% | +0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 68.22% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 67.99% | +0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 67.6% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 67.59% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 67.53% | +0.5 pp |
| 2010 | 67.01% | -1.3 pp |
| 2009 | 68.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 68.19% | +0.6 pp |
| 2007 | 67.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 67.32% | +0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 66.96% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 67.26% | -0.6 pp |
| 2003 | 67.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 67.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 67.77% | +0.5 pp |
| 2000 | 67.3% | -0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 67.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 67.86% | +0.5 pp |
| 1997 | 67.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 67.43% | +3.3 pp |
| 1995 | 64.09% | +0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 64.01% | -1.0 pp |
| 1993 | 65.04% | +0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 64.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 64.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 64.66% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Switzerland’s Labor participation in 1991?
64.82% (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 Switzerland’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +3.2% 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: 66.75%; 2024: 67.1%; 2023: 67.45%; 2022: 67.08%; 2021: 67.74%. 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.