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Italy Labor Force Participation

Labor force participation rate  SL.TLF.CACT.ZS

49.30% −0.29pp (-0.6%)
Year 2025 Rank #158 Global Peak 50.33% (1991) Source World Bank

Italy Labor Force Participation (1990–2025)

Overview

Italy's labor force participation stood at 49.30% in 2025, a decline of +0.29pp from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 49.92% by 2026. Italy ranked 158th globally.

Data & projection

Year Labor Force Participation YoY change Rank
2028* trend 50.37% - -
2027* trend 50.14% - -
2026* trend 49.92% - -
2025 49.30% −0.29pp #158
2024 49.59% −0.21pp #158
2023 49.80% +0.77pp #159
2022 49.03% +0.59pp #160
2021 48.44% +0.22pp #160
2020 48.22% −1.37pp #160
2019 49.59% −0.03pp #163
2018 49.62% +0.12pp #161
2017 49.50% +0.34pp #160
2016 49.16% +0.54pp #163
2015 48.62% −0.11pp #162
2014 48.73% +0.24pp #162
2013 48.49% −0.31pp #162
2012 48.81% +0.93pp #162
2011 47.88% −0.11pp #166
Show all years (1990-2025)
* Linear trend extrapolation

Detected Pattern

Export Boom Cycle
Current account surplus with strong export growth (>15% YoY), reserve accumulation, and moderate GDP growth. Typical of commodity exporters during price surges.
Reserves YoY +23.1% GDP growth 2.9% C/A balance 0.4%
Occurred 768 times, 546 successful
Reserves YoY
+25.6%
GDP growth
4.0%
C/A balance
14.5%
Reserves YoY
+14.6%
GDP growth
3.7%
C/A balance
2.9%
Reserves YoY
+12.8%
GDP growth
43.8%
C/A balance
16.4%
Reserves YoY
+12.6%
GDP growth
6.0%
C/A balance
0.5%
Reserves YoY
+38.3%
GDP growth
5.0%
C/A balance
1.2%
Reserves YoY
+18.0%
GDP growth
2.9%
C/A balance
3.9%

Analysis

Italy matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1986. 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

What is Italy's labor force participation?

Italy's labor force participation was 49.30% in 2025. Ranked 158th globally. This represents a 0.6% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest labor force participation in Italy?

Italy's labor force participation peaked at 50.33% in 1991.

What was the lowest labor force participation in Italy?

The lowest labor force participation in Italy was 46.87% in 1995.

How does Italy rank in labor force participation?

Italy ranks 158th globally in labor force participation as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for labor force participation?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the projected labor force participation of Italy in 2026?

Italy's labor force participation is projected to reach 49.92% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.

What is the labor force participation of Italy in 2025?

The labor force participation of Italy in 2025 was 49.30%. This ranks 158th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Italy Labor Force Participation. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/italy/labor-force-participation
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_italy_labor-force-participation, title = {Italy Labor Force Participation}, url = {https://historysaid.com/italy/labor-force-participation}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }