World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
NotesAdvertise
World Report nowcountries in numbers
World Report now
  1. Home
  2. Countries
  3. Laos
  4. Labour
LA
Labour · East Asia & Pacific · Lower-middle income

Laos: the labour market

Labour force is 3.7m (2025), 99th of 187 in the world and 16th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Participation rate is 66.1% (2025), 53rd of 187 in the world and 13th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Women's participation is 61.6% (2025), 42nd of 187 in the world and 10th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific.

Labour force3.7m2025 · world 99/187 · region 16/29Participation rate66.1%2025 · world 53/187 · region 13/29Women's participation61.6%2025 · world 42/187 · region 10/29Employment rate65.3%2025 · world 37/187 · region 11/29
Labour force
Laos
01.0m2.0m3.0m4.0m1995200020052010201520202025Laos3.7m
Participation rate
LaosEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025Laos66.1%East Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Laos in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; 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, total3.7m202599/18716/291.9m2.4m3.2m+34%since 20151.3bn1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+66.1%202553/18713/2961.8%60.7%62.9%+6.1 ppsince 201565.2%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+61.6%202542/18710/2958.7%56.9%58.7%+5.4 ppsince 201558.1%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)65.3%202537/18711/2960.5%60.3%61.4%+6.5 ppsince 201562.7%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)1.2%2025180/18727/292.0%0.7%2.3%−0.8 ppsince 20153.8%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)0.9%2025181/18727/292.0%0.7%1.8%−1.1 ppsince 20153.4%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)2.4%2025180/18728/294.3%1.6%4.2%−1.5 ppsince 201512.5%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %22.5%202262/17011/28·5.1%22.5%2022+17.4 ppsince 201015.3%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment22.9%2025167/18728/2911.8%16.9%21.4%+3.5 ppsince 201561.0%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)76.4%202518/1871/2987.5%82.4%77.8%−3.6 ppsince 201535.3%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment68.6%20256/1871/2986.9%78.9%70.0%−4.4 ppsince 201521.7%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment7.4%2025178/18728/293.0%5.4%7.0%+1.1 ppsince 201528.5%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment24.0%2025180/18728/2910.2%15.7%23.1%+3.2 ppsince 201549.9%37.8%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

Laos and its neighbours

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

IndicatorLaosChinaVietnamThailandMyanmarCambodia
Labour force3.7m2025768m202557.0m202540.9m202522.9m202510.4m2025
Participation rate66.1%202564.6%202572.8%202566.7%202555.1%202582.4%2025
Women's participation61.6%202559.1%202568.6%202559.0%202540.9%202577.4%2025
Employment rate65.3%202561.6%202571.7%202566.2%202553.4%202582.2%2025
Unemployment1.2%20254.6%20251.5%20250.8%20253.0%20250.3%2025
Female unemployment0.9%20254.0%20251.4%20250.8%20253.5%20250.2%2025
Youth unemployment2.4%202515.8%20256.2%20254.5%20259.8%20250.7%2025
Youth NEET rate22.5%2022—10.3%202412.4%202515.0%20209.7%2025
Wage workers22.9%202562.3%202546.7%202549.3%202534.5%202544.5%2025
China: labourVietnam: labourThailand: labourMyanmar: labourCambodia: labour
Labour in East Asia & Pacificall 37 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesLaos: all key statisticscountry profile