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Labour · Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · High income

Israel: the labour market

Labour force is 4.8m (2025), 89th of 187 in the world and 12th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Participation rate is 65.5% (2025), 56th of 187 in the world and 6th of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa. Women's participation is 62.3% (2025), 34th of 187 in the world and 1st of 23 in the Middle East & North Africa.

Labour force4.8m2025 · world 89/187 · region 12/23Participation rate65.5%2025 · world 56/187 · region 6/23Women's participation62.3%2025 · world 34/187 · region 1/23Employment rate63.2%2025 · world 48/187 · region 6/23
Labour force
Israel
02.0m4.0m6.0m1995200020052010201520202025Israel4.8m
Participation rate
IsraelMiddle East, North Africa, A…High incomeWorld
45%50%55%60%65%70%1995200020052010201520202025Israel65.5%Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Israel in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total4.8m202589/18712/232.8m3.5m4.2m+22%since 2015264m734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+65.5%202556/1876/2361.4%63.3%63.4%−0.1 ppsince 201547.4%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+62.3%202534/1871/2353.5%57.5%59.4%+2.2 ppsince 201519.7%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)63.2%202548/1876/2354.5%57.9%60.8%+1.0 ppsince 201543.7%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)3.5%2025131/18716/2311.1%8.5%4.2%−1.7 ppsince 20157.8%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)3.4%2025143/18721/2311.2%8.0%4.0%−1.9 ppsince 201512.1%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)6.0%2025154/18721/2317.3%14.2%7.6%−3.2 ppsince 201518.7%11.5%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %15.3%2024105/17014/16·15.4%201216.1%+0.8 ppsince 201432.2%10.6%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment88.7%202523/1878/2387.3%87.9%88.7%+0.7 ppsince 201561.0%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)7.7%2025164/18717/238.7%8.1%8.2%−0.3 ppsince 201536.1%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment0.8%2025184/18723/231.7%1.3%0.9%−0.3 ppsince 201521.7%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment15.1%2025140/18721/2321.4%17.8%15.8%−2.4 ppsince 201526.6%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment84.1%202510/1872/2376.9%80.8%83.3%+2.7 ppsince 201551.7%74.9%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Israel and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Israel. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorIsraelEgyptSyriaJordanLebanon
Labour force4.8m202536.1m20256.8m20253.2m20251.8m2023
Participation rate65.5%202544.6%202536.9%202540.1%202543.4%2023
Women's participation62.3%202518.5%202512.7%202516.0%202522.2%2023
Employment rate63.2%202541.5%202531.9%202533.4%202538.7%2023
Unemployment3.5%20256.8%202513.6%202516.5%202511.0%2023
Female unemployment3.4%202515.3%202526.1%202523.3%202514.5%2023
Youth unemployment6.0%202518.3%202533.1%202538.9%202522.7%2023
Youth NEET rate15.3%202423.8%2024—29.4%202423.5%2019
Wage workers88.7%202573.0%202557.6%202588.8%202571.6%2023
Egypt: labourSyria: labourJordan: labourLebanon: labour
Labour in Middle East & North Africaall 23 economies rankedLabour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesIsrael: all key statisticscountry profile