Israel Labor Force Participation
Labor force participation rate SL.TLF.CACT.ZS
Israel's labor force participation was 65.49% in 2025, ranked 54th globally. This represents a 0.0% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1990–2025.
Overview
Israel's labor force participation stood at 65.49% in 2025, a decline of +0.00pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 66.35% by 2026. Israel ranked 54th globally.
Israel’s labor force participation has risen steadily over the 36‑year series, moving from an all‑time trough of 58.82 % in 1990 to a peak of 65.64 % in 2016 and reaching 65.49 % in 2025, placing the country 54th globally. The modest decline of 0.15 percentage points from the 2016 high suggests that the upward momentum has largely plateaued, with the current level only marginally below the peak despite continued demographic and policy shifts encouraging greater workforce inclusion. Compared with peers of similar rank, Israel’s rate is close to Norway’s 65.61 % and Estonia’s 65.13 %, indicating that its participation is on par with advanced economies, while still exceeding many developing nations such as Cameroon (65.17 %). Future movements will likely depend on labour market reforms, immigration flows and the evolving gender composition of the workforce; sustained policy support could nudge the participation rate back toward its 2016 peak.
Data & projection
| Year | Labor Force Participation | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 67.37% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 66.86% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 66.35% | - | - |
| 2025 | 65.49% | −0.00pp | #54 |
| 2024 | 65.49% | +0.44pp | #55 |
| 2023 | 65.06% | +0.32pp | #61 |
| 2022 | 64.74% | +1.42pp | #63 |
| 2021 | 63.32% | −0.09pp | #69 |
| 2020 | 63.41% | −1.59pp | #65 |
| 2019 | 65.00% | −0.44pp | #61 |
| 2018 | 65.43% | −0.06pp | #59 |
| 2017 | 65.49% | −0.14pp | #58 |
| 2016 | 65.64% | +0.09pp | #57 |
| 2015 | 65.55% | −0.07pp | #58 |
| 2014 | 65.62% | +0.51pp | #59 |
| 2013 | 65.11% | −0.15pp | #61 |
| 2012 | 65.26% | +2.22pp | #58 |
| 2011 | 63.04% | −0.22pp | #75 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Israel matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw labor force participation improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Israel's labor force participation was 65.49% in 2025. Ranked 54th globally. This represents a 0.0% decrease from the previous year.
Israel's labor force participation peaked at 65.64% in 2016.
The lowest labor force participation in Israel was 58.82% in 1990.
Israel ranks 54th globally in labor force participation as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Israel's labor force participation is projected to reach 66.35% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The labor force participation of Israel in 2025 was 65.49%. This ranks 54th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_israel_labor-force-participation,
title = {Israel Labor Force Participation},
url = {https://historysaid.com/israel/labor-force-participation/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}