Global employment rate 2026| ��ƽ��

Estimated employment-to-population ratio worldwide in 2026, by region

Characteristic	Empoyment-to-population-ratio
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Release date

January 2026

More information

Region

Worldwide

Survey time period

2026

Age group

15 years and older

Special properties

Numbers are estimates

Supplementary notes

The source adds the following information regarding methodology: "The employment-to-population ratio expresses the number of persons who are employed as a percent of the total working age population. The series is part of the ILO modelled estimates and is harmonized to account for differences in national data and scope of coverage, collection and tabulation methodologies, as well as for other country-specific factors."

Citation formats

In 2026, the worldwide employment-to-population ratio was estimated at approximately ** percent. Among the provided regions, Africa had the highest employment-to-population ratio, at ** percent, with Europe and Central Asia having the lowest at ** percent.

Global income growth

As greater portions of the population hold stable employment over time, income has also grown globally. From 1970 until today, North America has seen the largest increase in net national income per capita, but this increase has occurred in other regions as well. In terms of real wages, while they have grown over time, they have experienced a slight decrease due to the high global inflation rates.

Decrease in child labor

Even though greater proportions of the population are employed, child labor has decreased over time. In 2000, *** million children were working, which had decreased to *** million by 2024. The majority of working children are in the agricultural sector, especially younger children within the 5-11 and 12-14 age groups.