North America - Labor force, total

The value for Labor force, total in North America was 186,602,500 as of 2021. As the graph below shows, over the past 31 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 187,148,200 in 2019 and a minimum value of 142,723,600 in 1990.

Definition: 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.

Source: Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database and World Bank population estimates. Labor data retrieved in September 2019.

See also:

Year Value
1990 142,723,600
1991 143,700,500
1992 145,905,900
1993 147,323,200
1994 149,731,400
1995 151,622,000
1996 153,626,300
1997 156,279,700
1998 158,106,400
1999 160,260,600
2000 162,325,700
2001 163,821,000
2002 165,374,000
2003 166,476,600
2004 167,783,900
2005 169,798,000
2006 171,886,200
2007 173,604,500
2008 175,575,400
2009 175,879,100
2010 176,112,200
2011 176,310,600
2012 177,164,800
2013 177,799,500
2014 178,539,500
2015 179,660,300
2016 181,791,600
2017 183,613,500
2018 185,031,400
2019 187,148,200
2020 185,250,300
2021 186,602,500

Statistical Concept and Methodology: The labor force is the supply of labor available for producing goods and services in an economy. 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. Data are generated with World Bank population estimates and ILO estimates on labor force participation rate. The ILO estimates are harmonized to ensure comparability across countries and over time by accounting for differences in data source, scope of coverage, methodology, and other country-specific factors. The estimates are based mainly on nationally representative labor force surveys, with other sources (population censuses and nationally reported estimates) used only when no survey data are available.

Aggregation method: Sum

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.

Classification

Topic: Labor & Social Protection Indicators

Sub-Topic: Labor force structure