OECD members - Labor force, total

The value for Labor force, total in OECD members was 676,225,900 as of 2021. As the graph below shows, over the past 31 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 678,274,000 in 2019 and a minimum value of 514,887,700 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 514,887,700
1991 522,351,100
1992 528,109,200
1993 531,116,600
1994 537,792,700
1995 542,557,100
1996 548,358,900
1997 555,493,200
1998 560,983,700
1999 566,467,400
2000 571,125,800
2001 575,134,200
2002 580,199,000
2003 585,521,600
2004 589,667,600
2005 597,844,400
2006 604,920,600
2007 610,595,900
2008 617,906,600
2009 622,596,100
2010 626,510,100
2011 630,203,800
2012 636,101,800
2013 640,873,400
2014 645,592,300
2015 651,184,400
2016 658,477,100
2017 665,074,800
2018 671,739,600
2019 678,274,000
2020 666,416,400
2021 676,225,900

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