Labor force, total in Poland
Poland: Labor force, total was 18.17 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, total in Poland, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
Poland recorded 18.17 million for labor force, total in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in Poland peaked at 18.53 million in 2017 and was at its lowest, 17.10 million, in 2000.
That places Poland 38th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, total in Poland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 17.48 million | — |
| 1991 | 17.68 million | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 17.74 million | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 17.70 million | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 17.64 million | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 17.48 million | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 17.45 million | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 17.33 million | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 17.36 million | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 17.32 million | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 17.10 million | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 17.48 million | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 17.34 million | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 17.32 million | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 17.31 million | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 17.47 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 17.36 million | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 17.36 million | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 17.60 million | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 17.89 million | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 18.14 million | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 18.21 million | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 18.33 million | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 18.32 million | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 18.42 million | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 18.41 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 18.47 million | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 18.53 million | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 18.50 million | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 18.45 million | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 18.20 million | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 18.35 million | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 18.38 million | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 18.45 million | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 18.27 million | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 18.17 million | -0.5% |
Poland compared with similar countries
- Poland's 18.17 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.08 million, 5.9× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Poland's 18.17 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.31 million, 5.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.52 million | 17.32 million | 17.74 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.42 million | 17.10 million | 17.89 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.38 million | 18.14 million | 18.53 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.30 million | 18.17 million | 18.45 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Poland
- 35 Peru 19.24 million compare
- 36 Malaysia 18.72 million compare
- 37 Saudi Arabia 18.38 million compare
- 39 North Korea 17.70 million compare
- 40 Madagascar 17.09 million compare
- 41 Angola 16.32 million compare
More education data for Poland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 322,900 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 15,398 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 776,213 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 735,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.33 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.60 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0438 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, total in Poland?
- Labor force, total in Poland was 18.17 million in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in Poland?
- The highest recorded value was 18.53 million in 2017.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in Poland?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.10 million in 2000.
- How does Poland rank for labor force, total?
- Poland ranks 38th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in Poland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Poland 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.
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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.