Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) by country
Wage and salaried workers (employees) are those workers who hold the type of jobs defined as "paid employment jobs," where the incumbents hold explicit (written or oral) or implicit employment contracts that give them a basic remuneration that is not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work.
Countries reporting
186
Highest
99.2%
Qatar
Lowest
8.4%
Chad
Median
68.2%
Years covered
35
1991–2025
Data points
8,176
What the numbers show
Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) is currently reported for 186 countries. The highest value is 99.2% in Qatar; the lowest is 8.4% in Chad.
The median across all reporting countries is 68.2%, and the mean is 61.3%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 12.
Over the past decade 146 countries rose and 40 fell. The largest increase was in Ghana (up 37.7%), and the largest decrease in Uganda (down 9.6%).
Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qatar | 99.2% | 2025 | down 0.3% | flat |
| 2 | Bahrain | 97.6% | 2025 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 3 | Kuwait | 96.8% | 2025 | down 2.0% | flat |
| 4 | Norway | 95.1% | 2025 | up 1.1% | flat |
| 5 | Oman | 95.0% | 2025 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 6 | United Arab Emirates | 94.9% | 2025 | down 1.6% | flat |
| 7 | Saudi Arabia | 94.5% | 2025 | down 2.3% | flat |
| 8 | United States | 93.9% | 2025 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 9 | Russia | 93.7% | 2025 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 10 | Macao | 93.2% | 2025 | down 0.1% | rising |
| 11 | Belarus | 93.2% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 12 | Brunei | 92.7% | 2025 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 13 | Hong Kong | 92.3% | 2025 | up 1.4% | flat |
| 14 | Denmark | 92.1% | 2025 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 15 | Germany | 91.9% | 2025 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 16 | Japan | 90.9% | 2025 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 17 | United States Virgin Islands | 90.9% | 2025 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 18 | Cyprus | 89.8% | 2025 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 19 | Sweden | 89.8% | 2025 | up 0.9% | flat |
| 20 | Luxembourg | 89.7% | 2025 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 21 | Jordan | 88.8% | 2025 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 22 | Israel | 88.7% | 2025 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 23 | Lithuania | 88.5% | 2025 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 24 | Hungary | 88.4% | 2025 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 25 | Bulgaria | 88.2% | 2025 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 26 | Estonia | 87.9% | 2025 | up 0.3% | flat |
| 27 | Austria | 87.8% | 2025 | up 1.9% | flat |
| 28 | Finland | 87.5% | 2025 | up 2.0% | flat |
| 29 | Puerto Rico | 87.4% | 2025 | down 0.9% | flat |
| 30 | Singapore | 87.3% | 2025 | up 1.5% | flat |
| 31 | Croatia | 87.3% | 2025 | up 5.6% | rising |
| 32 | Canada | 87.1% | 2025 | up 2.5% | flat |
| 33 | United Kingdom | 86.9% | 2025 | up 2.2% | flat |
| 34 | France | 86.7% | 2025 | down 1.9% | flat |
| 35 | Iceland | 86.7% | 2025 | up 4.0% | flat |
| 36 | Ireland | 86.6% | 2025 | up 3.7% | rising |
| 37 | Latvia | 86.3% | 2025 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 38 | Malta | 86.1% | 2025 | up 0.8% | flat |
| 39 | Slovenia | 86.0% | 2025 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 40 | Portugal | 85.6% | 2025 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 41 | Romania | 85.5% | 2025 | up 7.9% | rising |
| 42 | Spain | 85.5% | 2025 | up 3.5% | rising |
| 43 | Belgium | 85.4% | 2025 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 44 | Slovakia | 85.1% | 2025 | up 0.7% | falling |
| 45 | Guam | 84.5% | 2025 | up 0.5% | flat |
| 46 | Czechia | 84.3% | 2025 | up 2.0% | falling |
| 47 | Australia | 83.9% | 2025 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 48 | North Macedonia | 83.4% | 2025 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 49 | Netherlands | 83.2% | 2025 | down 2.1% | falling |
| 50 | Switzerland | 83.1% | 2025 | down 2.2% | flat |
| 51 | Bahamas | 82.9% | 2025 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 52 | New Caledonia | 82.9% | 2025 | down 3.4% | flat |
| 53 | South Africa | 82.7% | 2025 | down 3.1% | flat |
| 54 | Montenegro | 82.6% | 2025 | up 4.5% | flat |
| 55 | Mauritius | 82.2% | 2025 | up 3.1% | rising |
| 56 | French Polynesia | 81.8% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 57 | New Zealand | 81.6% | 2025 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 58 | Poland | 81.1% | 2025 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 59 | Barbados | 80.5% | 2025 | down 3.1% | falling |
| 60 | Maldives | 80.0% | 2025 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 61 | Ukraine | 79.0% | 2021 | down 0.5% | flat |
| 62 | Italy | 78.9% | 2025 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 63 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 77.9% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 64 | Suriname | 77.5% | 2025 | up 0.4% | falling |
| 65 | South Korea | 77.3% | 2025 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 66 | Palestine | 76.2% | 2022 | up 14.0% | rising |
| 67 | Chile | 76.1% | 2025 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 68 | Cuba | 75.1% | 2025 | down 0.6% | falling |
| 69 | Tunisia | 75.1% | 2025 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 70 | Malaysia | 74.6% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 71 | Argentina | 74.4% | 2025 | down 1.8% | flat |
| 72 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 74.3% | 2025 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 73 | Trinidad and Tobago | 74.3% | 2025 | down 4.5% | flat |
| 74 | Libya | 74.1% | 2025 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 75 | Kazakhstan | 73.9% | 2025 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 76 | Costa Rica | 73.4% | 2025 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 77 | Saint Lucia | 73.3% | 2025 | up 2.7% | flat |
| 78 | Egypt | 73.0% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 79 | Serbia | 73.0% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 80 | Equatorial Guinea | 72.5% | 2025 | down 3.2% | rising |
| 81 | Uruguay | 72.0% | 2025 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 82 | Botswana | 71.9% | 2025 | up 3.3% | falling |
| 83 | Lebanon | 71.6% | 2023 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 84 | Turkey | 71.5% | 2025 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 85 | Algeria | 69.8% | 2025 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 86 | Eswatini | 69.8% | 2025 | up 9.0% | rising |
| 87 | Brazil | 69.7% | 2025 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 88 | Greece | 69.5% | 2025 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 89 | Kyrgyzstan | 69.5% | 2025 | up 15.9% | rising |
| 90 | Mexico | 69.2% | 2025 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 91 | Guyana | 68.9% | 2025 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 92 | Tajikistan | 68.7% | 2025 | up 3.7% | flat |
| 93 | Iraq | 68.3% | 2025 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 94 | Turkmenistan | 68.0% | 2025 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 95 | Gabon | 67.6% | 2025 | up 1.6% | rising |
| 96 | Armenia | 66.3% | 2025 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 97 | Fiji | 65.9% | 2025 | up 8.4% | flat |
| 98 | Belize | 64.8% | 2025 | down 4.0% | flat |
| 99 | El Salvador | 64.3% | 2025 | up 8.0% | rising |
| 100 | Jamaica | 64.3% | 2025 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 101 | Philippines | 63.9% | 2025 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 102 | Namibia | 63.5% | 2025 | down 6.9% | rising |
| 103 | China | 62.3% | 2025 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 104 | Cape Verde | 61.5% | 2025 | up 3.0% | rising |
| 105 | Lesotho | 61.5% | 2025 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 106 | Guatemala | 60.9% | 2025 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 107 | Morocco | 59.9% | 2025 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 108 | Venezuela | 59.6% | 2025 | down 8.3% | flat |
| 109 | Rwanda | 59.6% | 2025 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 110 | Panama | 59.4% | 2025 | down 7.4% | falling |
| 111 | Mongolia | 58.8% | 2025 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 112 | Paraguay | 58.7% | 2025 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 113 | Tonga | 58.2% | 2025 | up 23.9% | rising |
| 114 | Sri Lanka | 57.9% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 115 | Dominican Republic | 57.9% | 2025 | up 5.4% | flat |
| 116 | Syria | 57.6% | 2025 | down 0.4% | rising |
| 117 | Iran | 57.1% | 2025 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 118 | Sao Tome and Principe | 56.0% | 2025 | up 1.0% | rising |
| 119 | Honduras | 55.9% | 2025 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 120 | Nicaragua | 55.7% | 2025 | up 2.7% | flat |
| 121 | Samoa | 55.5% | 2025 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 122 | Uzbekistan | 54.6% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 123 | Colombia | 54.4% | 2025 | up 3.6% | falling |
| 124 | Georgia | 53.9% | 2025 | up 17.6% | rising |
| 125 | Sudan | 53.5% | 2022 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 126 | Albania | 49.7% | 2025 | up 20.7% | rising |
| 127 | Thailand | 49.3% | 2025 | up 1.8% | rising |
| 128 | Djibouti | 48.9% | 2025 | up 3.8% | rising |
| 129 | Peru | 48.7% | 2025 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 130 | Somalia | 47.8% | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 131 | Ecuador | 47.7% | 2025 | down 8.7% | flat |
| 132 | Eritrea | 47.6% | 2025 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 133 | Yemen | 47.4% | 2025 | down 4.8% | flat |
| 134 | Indonesia | 46.7% | 2025 | down 3.8% | rising |
| 135 | Vietnam | 46.7% | 2025 | up 18.6% | rising |
| 136 | Cambodia | 44.5% | 2025 | up 6.2% | rising |
| 137 | Pakistan | 43.0% | 2025 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 138 | Mauritania | 42.6% | 2025 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 139 | Comoros | 42.1% | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 140 | Moldova | 41.2% | 2025 | up 5.3% | falling |
| 141 | Vanuatu | 39.4% | 2025 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 142 | Bangladesh | 39.0% | 2025 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 143 | Malawi | 38.7% | 2025 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 144 | North Korea | 37.9% | 2025 | down 1.3% | flat |
| 145 | Senegal | 35.7% | 2025 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 146 | Kenya | 35.2% | 2025 | down 4.4% | rising |
| 147 | Myanmar | 34.5% | 2025 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 148 | Bolivia | 33.7% | 2025 | up 19.2% | rising |
| 149 | Azerbaijan | 33.0% | 2025 | up 2.3% | flat |
| 150 | Ghana | 32.5% | 2025 | up 37.7% | rising |
| 151 | Gambia | 31.4% | 2025 | up 19.4% | rising |
| 152 | Cameroon | 30.7% | 2025 | up 30.5% | rising |
| 153 | Bhutan | 30.5% | 2025 | up 12.8% | rising |
| 154 | Solomon Islands | 30.1% | 2025 | up 2.0% | rising |
| 155 | Zimbabwe | 29.2% | 2025 | up 2.4% | falling |
| 156 | Cote d'Ivoire | 29.0% | 2025 | up 15.3% | rising |
| 157 | Zambia | 28.3% | 2025 | up 12.7% | rising |
| 158 | East Timor | 25.1% | 2025 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 159 | India | 25.1% | 2025 | up 22.7% | rising |
| 160 | Guinea-Bissau | 24.5% | 2025 | up 5.5% | rising |
| 161 | Angola | 24.1% | 2025 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 162 | Mali | 23.6% | 2025 | up 33.2% | rising |
| 163 | Togo | 23.4% | 2025 | up 26.5% | rising |
| 164 | Congo | 23.2% | 2025 | down 2.0% | rising |
| 165 | Haiti | 23.2% | 2025 | down 7.6% | flat |
| 166 | Laos | 22.9% | 2025 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 167 | Liberia | 21.7% | 2025 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 168 | Nepal | 21.4% | 2025 | up 13.4% | rising |
| 169 | Papua New Guinea | 21.3% | 2025 | up 6.9% | rising |
| 170 | Benin | 20.2% | 2025 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 171 | Uganda | 19.5% | 2025 | down 9.6% | rising |
| 172 | Guinea | 18.1% | 2025 | up 25.2% | rising |
| 173 | South Sudan | 17.5% | 2023 | up 18.0% | flat |
| 174 | Burkina Faso | 17.4% | 2025 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 175 | Afghanistan | 16.6% | 2025 | up 15.5% | volatile |
| 176 | Ethiopia | 15.7% | 2025 | up 22.6% | rising |
| 177 | Burundi | 15.1% | 2025 | up 16.1% | rising |
| 178 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 14.9% | 2025 | down 9.2% | falling |
| 179 | Mozambique | 14.7% | 2025 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 180 | Tanzania | 14.7% | 2025 | up 14.8% | rising |
| 181 | Central African Republic | 14.6% | 2025 | up 1.0% | flat |
| 182 | Nigeria | 13.8% | 2025 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 183 | Madagascar | 11.7% | 2025 | up 10.3% | falling |
| 184 | Sierra Leone | 11.2% | 2025 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 185 | Niger | 10.5% | 2025 | up 19.9% | falling |
| 186 | Chad | 8.4% | 2025 | down 7.7% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- North America 93.2%
- Channel Islands 91.4%
- High income 88.9%
- Post-demographic dividend 88.7%
- Euro area 86.1%
- European Union 85.8%
- OECD members 84.5%
- Central Europe and the Baltics 84.4%
- Europe & Central Asia 83.3%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 79.7%
- Caribbean small states 74.5%
- Arab World 74.5%
About this data
Wage and salaried workers (employees) are those workers who hold the type of jobs defined as "paid employment jobs," where the incumbents hold explicit (written or oral) or implicit employment contracts that give them a basic remuneration that is not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work.