Labor force, total in Australia
Australia: Labor force, total was 15.13 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, total in Australia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, total in Australia is 15.13 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in Australia peaked at 15.13 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 8.50 million, in 1990.
Australia ranks 43rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.90 million | 8.50 million | 9.36 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.41 million | 9.54 million | 11.48 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.54 million | 11.68 million | 13.62 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.39 million | 13.58 million | 15.13 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 40 Madagascar 17.09 million compare
- 41 Angola 16.32 million compare
- 42 Mozambique 15.66 million compare
- 44 Uzbekistan 14.64 million compare
- 45 Algeria 13.56 million compare
- 46 Ghana 13.25 million compare
More education data for Australia
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.7% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.2% (2025)
- Primary school starting age 5 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 99.6% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 105,469 (1999)
- School enrollment, primary, female 99.7% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 99.5% (2024)
- Labor force, female 47.7% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index 0.998 GPI (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, total in Australia?
- Labor force, total in Australia was 15.13 million in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 15.13 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.50 million in 1990.
- How does Australia rank for labor force, total?
- Australia ranks 43rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.