France Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
France's industry employment was 19.34% in 2025, ranked 97th globally. This represents a 1.0% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
France's industry employment stood at 19.34% in 2025, a decline of +0.20% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 19.36% by 2026. France ranked 97th globally.
France’s share of the labour force employed in industry has fallen sharply over the 35‑year series, declining from an all‑time peak of 28.42 % in 1991 to a trough of 19.25 % in 2023, before registering a modest rebound to 19.34 % in 2025, which places the country 97th globally. The long‑term contraction reflects structural shifts toward services, automation and the offshoring of manufacturing, trends that have been amplified by successive fiscal reforms and the European Union’s competition policy. By contrast, peer economies such as Australia record a similar 2025 industry employment share of 19.29 %, suggesting that advanced economies are converging on comparable industrial employment levels despite differing industrial bases. The recent uptick, though slight, hints at a possible stabilization as France pursues green‑technology initiatives and incentives for high‑value manufacturing. Continued policy support for advanced industrial sectors will be crucial if the downward trajectory is to be halted and a modest rise sustained.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 19.34% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 19.35% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 19.36% | - | - |
| 2025 | 19.34% | −0.20% | #97 |
| 2024 | 19.54% | +0.30% | #99 |
| 2023 | 19.25% | −0.03% | #93 |
| 2022 | 19.27% | −0.24% | #95 |
| 2021 | 19.51% | −0.45% | #98 |
| 2020 | 19.96% | −0.43% | #105 |
| 2019 | 20.39% | +0.16% | #106 |
| 2018 | 20.23% | −0.18% | #108 |
| 2017 | 20.41% | +0.12% | #108 |
| 2016 | 20.29% | −0.08% | #106 |
| 2015 | 20.38% | −0.16% | #105 |
| 2014 | 20.53% | −0.77% | #103 |
| 2013 | 21.31% | −0.47% | #114 |
| 2012 | 21.78% | −0.41% | #117 |
| 2011 | 22.19% | −0.09% | #119 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
France matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2019. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
France's industry employment was 19.34% in 2025. Ranked 97th globally. This represents a 1.0% decrease from the previous year.
France's industry employment peaked at 28.42% in 1991.
The lowest industry employment in France was 19.25% in 2023.
France ranks 97th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
France's industry employment is projected to reach 19.36% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of France in 2025 was 19.34%. This ranks 97th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_france_industry-employment,
title = {France Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/france/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}