St. Lucia: Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 11.82 percentage points from 58.16% in 2020. Since 1993 it is up 0.78 percentage points from 69.2% in 1993. The World Bank has no value for 5 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2025, St. Lucia's employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate) rose 1.43 percentage points on 2024 (from 68.55% to 69.98%).

Across the 23 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2024), the average change was −0.78 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.53 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 5.27 percentage points in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 15.09 percentage points in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.7 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 35% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, St. Lucia had the 30th highest value of the 83 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to St. Lucia in the 2025 ranking

• New Zealand — 27th of 83: 70.79%
• Korea, Rep. — 28th of 83: 70.68%
• Netherlands — 29th of 83: 70.28%
• Brazil — 31st of 83: 69.93%
• Japan — 32nd of 83: 69.8%
• Ghana — 33rd of 83: 69.24%

What this measures

Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.

Limitations: Data on employment by status are drawn from labor force surveys and household surveys, supplemented by official estimates and censuses for a small group of countries. The labor force survey is the most comprehensive source for internationally comparable employment, but there are still some limitations for comparing data across countries and over time even within a country. Comparability of employment ratios across countries is affected by variations in definitions of employment and population. The biggest difference results from the age range used to define labor force activity. The population base for employment ratios can also vary.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 28 values

Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 67.09% (2025)
• Bahamas, The — 49.48% (2024)
• Barbados — 62.3% (2024)
• Belize — 77.59% (2019)
• Bolivia — 84.02% (2025)
• Brazil — 69.93% (2025)
• Cayman Islands — 81.82% (2015)
• Chile — 66.03% (2025)
• Colombia

More social protection & labor data for St. Lucia

• Net migration — -23 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 56.45% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 64.66% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 60.65% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 69.93% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 79.95% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 74.93% (2025)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is St. Lucia's employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate)?

69.98% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1993?

It is up 0.78 percentage points from 69.2% in 1993. The highest value was 69.98% in 2025 and the lowest 49.6% in 2000.

How does St. Lucia rank?

30th highest of 83 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate) unusual for St. Lucia?

In 2025, St. Lucia's employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate) rose 1.43 percentage points on 2024 (from 68.55% to 69.98%). Across the 23 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2024), the average change was −0.78 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.53 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SL.EMP.TOTL.SP.MA.NE.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), uri: https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/bulk/, publisher: ILOSTAT, type: external database, date accessed: September 28, 2026 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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