South Africa Labor Force Participation Rate 1990-2024

Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.
  • South Africa labor force participation rate for 2022 was 29.75%, a 3.25% increase from 2021.
  • South Africa labor force participation rate for 2021 was 26.50%, a 0.35% increase from 2020.
  • South Africa labor force participation rate for 2020 was 26.15%, a 3.58% decline from 2019.
  • South Africa labor force participation rate for 2019 was 29.73%, a 0.12% increase from 2018.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Participation Rate for Ages 15-24
St. Lucia 58.00%
Brazil 56.76%
Paraguay 56.37%
Peru 55.60%
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 51.75%
Maldives 50.33%
Guatemala 49.69%
China 48.33%
Dominican Republic 47.04%
Ecuador 46.52%
Colombia 46.02%
Belize 45.23%
Mexico 44.51%
Malaysia 43.49%
Azerbaijan 43.41%
Samoa 43.34%
Guyana 43.03%
Turkey 42.74%
Belarus 42.70%
Costa Rica 42.64%
Kazakhstan 40.84%
Armenia 40.40%
Thailand 39.80%
Mauritius 39.31%
Cuba 39.25%
Fiji 38.00%
Lebanon 36.75%
Botswana 35.79%
Suriname 35.65%
Jamaica 34.93%
Albania 34.42%
Montenegro 33.23%
Bosnia 32.36%
South Africa 29.75%
Serbia 29.32%
Namibia 29.18%
Tonga 28.30%
North Macedonia 28.24%
Venezuela 27.89%
Equatorial Guinea 27.58%
Iraq 27.20%
Romania 25.90%
Turkmenistan 25.52%
Jordan 25.14%
Iran 24.43%
Algeria 23.51%
Bulgaria 21.26%
Gabon 17.49%
Libya 16.44%
South Africa Labor Force Participation Rate - Historical Data
Year Participation Rate for Ages 15-24 Annual Change
2022 29.75% 3.25%
2021 26.50% 0.35%
2020 26.15% -3.58%
2019 29.73% 0.12%
2018 29.61% -1.82%
2017 31.43% 0.42%
2016 31.01% 0.32%
2015 30.69% 2.27%
2014 28.42% -1.16%
2013 29.58% 0.17%
2012 29.41% -0.48%
2011 29.89% 1.67%
2010 28.22% -4.47%
2009 32.70% -2.57%
2008 35.27% -0.35%
2007 35.62% -0.47%
2006 36.08% -0.61%
2005 36.70% -0.84%
2004 37.54% -0.99%
2003 38.53% -1.08%
2002 39.60% -1.08%
2001 40.68% -1.03%
2000 41.71% -1.33%
1999 43.04% -1.29%
1998 44.33% -1.23%
1997 45.56% -1.17%
1996 46.74% -1.13%
1995 47.87% -1.23%
1994 49.10% -1.12%
1993 50.22% -1.01%
1992 51.22% -0.91%
1991 52.13% -0.83%
1990 52.96% -0.83%