South Africa Labor Force Participation Rate 1990-2023

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 2021 was 22.43%, a 1.66% increase from 2020.
  • South Africa labor force participation rate for 2020 was 20.77%, a 4.75% decline from 2019.
  • South Africa labor force participation rate for 2019 was 25.52%, a 0.27% increase from 2018.
  • South Africa labor force participation rate for 2018 was 25.25%, a 1.24% decline from 2017.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Participation Rate for Ages 15-24
Peru 59.45%
Paraguay 59.39%
St. Lucia 54.97%
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 52.32%
Brazil 51.64%
Guatemala 49.17%
Colombia 48.69%
China 48.07%
Maldives 46.42%
Guyana 46.39%
Belarus 45.74%
Malaysia 44.97%
Mexico 44.82%
Ecuador 44.31%
Belize 44.14%
Costa Rica 44.04%
Dominican Republic 42.78%
Turkey 41.48%
Azerbaijan 40.67%
Kazakhstan 40.38%
Thailand 39.63%
Mauritius 38.68%
Fiji 38.14%
Suriname 36.53%
Bosnia 36.07%
Cuba 35.89%
Botswana 35.40%
Armenia 35.36%
Albania 34.68%
Montenegro 34.49%
Venezuela 33.13%
Russia 32.54%
Samoa 32.27%
Jamaica 31.95%
North Macedonia 30.15%
Serbia 29.89%
Romania 28.57%
Namibia 28.45%
Lebanon 28.39%
Equatorial Guinea 27.43%
Iraq 26.99%
Turkmenistan 26.41%
Jordan 25.04%
Tonga 24.50%
Iran 24.29%
Algeria 22.83%
South Africa 22.43%
Bulgaria 20.70%
Gabon 16.66%
Libya 16.20%
South Africa Labor Force Participation Rate - Historical Data
Year Participation Rate for Ages 15-24 Annual Change
2021 22.43% 1.66%
2020 20.77% -4.75%
2019 25.52% 0.27%
2018 25.25% -1.24%
2017 26.50% 0.25%
2016 26.24% -0.24%
2015 26.49% 1.31%
2014 25.17% -0.55%
2013 25.72% 0.32%
2012 25.40% -0.19%
2011 25.59% -0.74%
2010 26.33% -2.00%
2009 28.33% -2.73%
2008 31.05% -0.40%
2007 31.46% -0.47%
2006 31.93% -0.58%
2005 32.51% -0.80%
2004 33.31% -0.92%
2003 34.23% -1.00%
2002 35.23% -0.99%
2001 36.22% -0.96%
2000 37.18% -1.25%
1999 38.43% -1.24%
1998 39.66% -1.21%
1997 40.87% -1.13%
1996 42.00% -1.06%
1995 43.06% -1.22%
1994 44.28% -1.11%
1993 45.39% -1.04%
1992 46.43% -1.01%
1991 47.43% -0.90%
1990 48.33% -0.90%