Labor force, total in Ireland
Ireland: Labor force, total was 2.91 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, total in Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 2.91 million for labor force, total in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in Ireland peaked at 2.91 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.55 million, in 1990.
Ireland ranks 113th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, total in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.55 million | — |
| 1991 | 1.58 million | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 1.58 million | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 1.62 million | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 1.65 million | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 1.69 million | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 1.75 million | +3.6% |
| 1997 | 1.77 million | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 1.82 million | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 1.86 million | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 1.92 million | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 1.96 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 2.00 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 2.03 million | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 2.07 million | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 2.17 million | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 2.25 million | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 2.34 million | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 2.35 million | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 2.30 million | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 2.25 million | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 2.23 million | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.22 million | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 2.25 million | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 2.26 million | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 2.29 million | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 2.33 million | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 2.36 million | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 2.41 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 2.47 million | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 2.46 million | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 2.60 million | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 2.71 million | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 2.85 million | +5.2% |
| 2024 | 2.86 million | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 2.91 million | +1.9% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 2.91 million is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.08 million, 94% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 2.91 million is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.31 million, 88% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.69 million | 1.55 million | 1.86 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.14 million | 1.92 million | 2.35 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.31 million | 2.22 million | 2.47 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.73 million | 2.46 million | 2.91 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32,531 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,942 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,745 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49,975 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 548,873 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1053 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, total in Ireland?
- Labor force, total in Ireland was 2.91 million in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.91 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.55 million in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for labor force, total?
- Ireland ranks 113th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.