Labour · Latin America & Caribbean · High income
Panama: the labour market
Labour force is 2.3m (2025), 123rd of 187 in the world and 19th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Participation rate is 66.3% (2025), 51st of 187 in the world and 8th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean. Women's participation is 54.9% (2025), 83rd of 187 in the world and 11th of 31 in Latin America & Caribbean.
Labour force
Panama
Participation rate
PanamaLatin America & CaribbeanHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators
Labour: Panama in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Latin America & Caribbean; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour forceLabour force, total | 2.3m2025 | 123/187 | 19/31 | 1.3m | 1.7m | 2.1m | +22%since 2015 | 325m | 734m | 3.7bn | |
| Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+ | 66.3%2025 | 51/187 | 8/31 | 63.0% | 64.9% | 66.4% | +0.7 ppsince 2015 | 62.7% | 61.0% | 61.0% | |
| Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+ | 54.9%2025 | 83/187 | 11/31 | 44.9% | 48.4% | 55.9% | +3.5 ppsince 2015 | 51.4% | 54.3% | 48.9% | |
| Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO) | 60.8%2025 | 67/187 | 10/31 | 59.1% | 61.1% | 56.7% | −2.0 ppsince 2015 | 59.3% | 58.3% | 58.1% | |
| UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO) | 8.4%2025 | 51/187 | 9/31 | 6.2% | 5.8% | 14.7% | +4.0 ppsince 2015 | 5.5% | 4.4% | 4.8% | |
| Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO) | 10.4%2025 | 50/187 | 9/31 | 8.4% | 7.6% | 20.1% | +5.1 ppsince 2015 | 6.5% | 4.6% | 4.9% | |
| Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO) | 19.8%2025 | 51/187 | 10/31 | 13.5% | 13.4% | 33.0% | +8.1 ppsince 2015 | 12.2% | 11.5% | 13.4% | |
| Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, % | 15.1%2025 | 108/170 | 25/28 | · | 20.9% | 18.7% | −3.4 ppsince 2015 | 18.1% | 10.6% | — | |
| Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment | 59.4%2025 | 111/187 | 22/31 | 62.3% | 63.8% | 58.8% | −4.7 ppsince 2015 | 64.4% | 88.9% | 53.6% | |
| Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO) | 37.9%2025 | 72/187 | 8/31 | 34.4% | 32.7% | 38.2% | +5.4 ppsince 2015 | 31.5% | 8.0% | 42.4% | |
| Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment | 16.0%2025 | 89/187 | 9/31 | 18.8% | 19.3% | 16.2% | −0.3 ppsince 2015 | 12.7% | 2.9% | 25.8% | |
| Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment | 17.0%2025 | 117/187 | 19/31 | 16.4% | 17.5% | 16.6% | −0.6 ppsince 2015 | 20.5% | 22.2% | 23.7% | |
| Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment | 67.0%2025 | 72/187 | 18/31 | 64.8% | 63.2% | 67.2% | +0.9 ppsince 2015 | 66.8% | 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
- Women's participation+3.5 pp54.9% in 2025
- Youth NEET rate−3.4 pp15.1% in 2025
Worse than ten years ago
- Employment rate−2.0 pp60.8% in 2025
- Unemployment+4.0 pp8.4% in 2025
- Female unemployment+5.1 pp10.4% in 2025
- Youth unemployment+8.1 pp19.8% in 2025
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
Panama and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with Panama. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | Panama | United States | Colombia | Costa Rica |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour force | 2.3m2025 | 175m2025 | 27.1m2025 | 2.4m2025 |
| Participation rate | 66.3%2025 | 61.7%2025 | 63.4%2025 | 57.7%2025 |
| Women's participation | 54.9%2025 | 56.3%2025 | 51.6%2025 | 46.0%2025 |
| Employment rate | 60.8%2025 | 59.1%2025 | 58.1%2025 | 53.7%2025 |
| Unemployment | 8.4%2025 | 4.2%2025 | 8.3%2025 | 6.8%2025 |
| Female unemployment | 10.4%2025 | 4.2%2025 | 10.5%2025 | 7.8%2025 |
| Youth unemployment | 19.8%2025 | 9.3%2025 | 17.7%2025 | 19.9%2025 |
| Youth NEET rate | 15.1%2025 | 11.6%2025 | 22.0%2025 | 19.4%2025 |
| Wage workers | 59.4%2025 | 93.9%2025 | 54.4%2025 | 73.4%2025 |