Work & Labour in South Asia

85 indicators covering work & labour for South Asia.

IndicatorLatest Year10-yr change Rank
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 33.0% 2025 up 20.0% 40th
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.4% 2025 down 0.6% 2nd
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% 2025 up 4.6% 40th
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.6% 2025 up 14.2% 40th
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.4% 2025 down 5.2% 38th
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 33.0% 2025 down 0.4% 39th
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 35.5% 2025 up 22.2% 40th
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 81.2% 2025 up 0.8% 1st
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 59.0% 2025 up 6.2% 40th
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 42.6% 2025 up 20.8% 40th
Employment in industry (% of total employment) 25.1% 2025 up 2.2% 14th
Employment in industry, male (% of male employment) 29.0% 2025 up 11.1% 20th
Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) 15.4% 2025 down 22.1% 12th
Contributing family workers, total (% of total employment) 14.8% 2025 down 12.4% 12th
Contributing family workers, male (% of male employment) 8.8% 2025 down 14.8% 15th
Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) 29.3% 2025 down 19.0% 5th
Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment) 26.9% 2025 up 16.9% 34th
Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) 28.5% 2025 up 16.5% 37th
Wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) 23.2% 2025 up 22.8% 32nd
Employment in services, female (% of female employment) 23.8% 2025 down 3.9% 44th
Employment in services, male (% of male employment) 37.4% 2025 up 9.7% 34th
Employment in services (% of total employment) 33.4% 2025 up 5.3% 41st
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) 16.3% 2025 down 28.0% 12th
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) 15.4% 2025 down 34.2% 9th
Self-employed, total (% of total employment) 73.1% 2025 down 5.1% 11th
Self-employed, male (% of male employment) 71.5% 2025 down 5.3% 8th
Self-employed, female (% of female employment) 76.8% 2025 down 5.3% 13th
Employers, total (% of total employment) 3.3% 2025 up 79.8% 32nd
Employers, male (% of male employment) 4.4% 2025 up 92.4% 31st
Employers, female (% of female employment) 0.6% 2025 up 23.8% 44th
GDP per person employed 24,604 constant 2021 PPP $ 2025 up 37.3% 30th
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) 4.5% 2025 up 39.3% 25th
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) 4.6% 2025 up 49.8% 15th
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) 4.4% 2025 up 15.5% 20th
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.1% 2025 down 2.2% 3rd
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 34.0% 2025 up 24.3% 17th
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.3% 2025 up 3.5% 26th
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 16.5% 2025 down 5.8% 16th
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.8% 2025 down 7.0% 15th
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 44.1% 2025 up 27.0% 17th
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 31.6% 2025 down 7.8% 18th
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) 19.1% 2025 up 78.6% 6th
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) 17.2% 2025 up 76.7% 2nd
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) 17.7% 2025 up 77.2% 4th
Share of youth not in education, employment or training, female (% of) 37.1% 2025 down 19.2% 5th
Share of youth not in education, employment or training, male (% of ma 10.7% 2025 down 11.9% 41st
Share of youth not in education, employment or training, total (% of) 23.4% 2025 down 17.6% 14th
Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, female (%) 16.8% 2025 up 25.1% 40th
Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) 28.0% 2025 up 9.7% 38th
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) 69.7% 2025 down 7.2% 11th
Vulnerable employment, male (% of male employment) 67.1% 2025 down 8.4% 4th
Vulnerable employment, female (% of female employment) 76.2% 2025 down 5.5% 12th
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) 53.2% 2025 up 8.0% 39th
Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, male (%) 38.4% 2025 up 4.6% 39th
Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) 74.1% 2025 up 2.5% 3rd
Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) 31.6% 2025 up 24.6% 40th
Unemployment, youth total (% of total labor force ages 15-24) 15.4% 2025 down 34.4% 10th
Unemployment with basic education 2.3% 2024 down 21.1% 17th
Unemployment with basic education, male 2.6% 2024 down 7.1% 17th
Unemployment with intermediate education 5.8% 2024 down 0.1% 16th