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Labour · East Asia & Pacific · Lower-middle income

Vanuatu: the labour market

Labour force is 120,833 (2025), 178th of 187 in the world and 25th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Participation rate is 58.1% (2025), 118th of 187 in the world and 21st of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Women's participation is 53.3% (2025), 93rd of 187 in the world and 18th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific.

Labour force120,8332025 · world 178/187 · region 25/29Participation rate58.1%2025 · world 118/187 · region 21/29Women's participation53.3%2025 · world 93/187 · region 18/29Employment rate55.2%2025 · world 113/187 · region 21/29
Labour force
Vanuatu
050,000100,000150,0001995200020052010201520202025Vanuatu120,833
Participation rate
VanuatuEast Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Vanuatu58.1%East Asia & PacificLower-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Vanuatu 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, total120,8332025178/18725/2981,64394,738105,798+21%since 20151.3bn1.2bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+58.1%2025118/18721/2976.8%64.4%58.0%−3.1 ppsince 201565.2%58.2%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+53.3%202593/18718/2973.7%57.9%53.4%−2.4 ppsince 201558.1%39.2%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)55.2%2025113/18721/2970.5%61.4%55.7%−2.9 ppsince 201562.7%55.6%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)5.1%202598/1878/298.3%4.7%4.0%−0.1 ppsince 20153.8%4.5%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)6.2%202587/1875/2910.8%5.4%4.1%±0.0 ppsince 20153.4%4.9%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)11.3%2025105/18712/2914.1%9.4%9.7%+0.3 ppsince 201512.5%13.1%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %29.3%202533/1706/28·31.8%47.5%−2.6 ppsince 201015.3%21.8%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment39.4%2025142/18723/2923.9%29.8%38.9%+4.6 ppsince 201561.0%29.6%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)58.0%202544/1876/2974.2%69.5%58.5%−5.6 ppsince 201535.3%65.5%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment44.5%202531/1875/2954.4%56.5%44.7%−5.7 ppsince 201521.7%39.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment10.0%2025164/18725/299.5%10.4%10.7%+0.5 ppsince 201528.5%22.4%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment45.4%2025145/18724/2936.1%33.2%44.7%+5.3 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

Vanuatu and its neighbours

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

IndicatorVanuatuAustraliaSolomon Islands
Labour force120,833202515.1m2025448,5022025
Participation rate58.1%202566.5%202584.3%2025
Women's participation53.3%202562.5%202582.3%2025
Employment rate55.2%202563.8%202583.1%2025
Unemployment5.1%20254.1%20251.4%2025
Female unemployment6.2%20254.0%20251.4%2025
Youth unemployment11.3%20259.6%20252.8%2025
Youth NEET rate29.3%20258.4%20257.0%2013
Wage workers39.4%202583.9%202530.1%2025
Australia: labourSolomon Islands: labour
Labour in East Asia & Pacificall 37 economies rankedLabour: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesVanuatu: all key statisticscountry profile