Data / Rankings / Employment rate / EU countries

EU countries by employment rate

The Netherlands had the highest employment rate of 27 EU countries in 2022, at 82.9%. Italy had the lowest, at 64.8%. The median was 77.3% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 74.6%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest82.9Netherlands
Lowest64.8Italy
Median77.327 EU countries
European Union (27)74.6History

All EU countries, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

NetherlandsNetherlands: 82.9 %82.9SwedenSweden: 82 %82EstoniaEstonia: 81.9 %81.9CzechiaCzechia: 81.3 %81.3GermanyGermany: 80.8 %80.8HungaryHungary: 80.3 %80.3DenmarkDenmark: 80.1 %80.1MaltaMalta: 80.1 %80.1LithuaniaLithuania: 79 %79CyprusCyprus: 78.6 %78.6FinlandFinland: 78.4 %78.4IrelandIreland: 78.2 %78.2SloveniaSlovenia: 77.9 %77.9AustriaAustria: 77.3 %77.3PortugalPortugal: 77.1 %77.1LatviaLatvia: 77 %77PolandPoland: 76.7 %76.7SlovakiaSlovakia: 76.7 %76.7BulgariaBulgaria: 75.9 %75.9LuxembourgLuxembourg: 74.8 %74.8FranceFrance: 74 %74BelgiumBelgium: 71.9 %71.9CroatiaCroatia: 70.2 %70.2SpainSpain: 69.3 %69.3RomaniaRomania: 68.5 %68.5GreeceGreece: 66.3 %66.3ItalyItaly: 64.8 %64.8
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Netherlands82.9+1.2 pts
2Sweden82+1.6 pts
3Estonia81.9+2.6 pts
4Czechia81.3+1.3 pts
5Germany80.8+1.2 pts
6Hungary80.3+1.4 pts
7Denmark80.1+1.1 pts
7Malta80.1+2.3 pts
9Lithuania79+1.6 pts
10Cyprus78.6+2.3 pts
11Finland78.4+1.6 pts
12Ireland78.2+3.3 pts
13Slovenia77.9+1.8 pts
14Austria77.3+1.7 pts
15Portugal77.1+1.6 pts
16Latvia77+1.7 pts
17Poland76.7+1.2 pts
17Slovakia76.7+2.1 pts
19Bulgaria75.9+2.6 pts
20Luxembourg74.8+0.7 pts
21France74+0.9 pts
22Belgium71.9+1.3 pts
23Croatia70.2+1.6 pts
24Spain69.3+1.8 pts
25Romania68.5+1.4 pts
26Greece66.3+3.7 pts
27Italy64.8+2.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Employed people as a percentage of the population aged 16 and over (Spain, EPA) or 20 to 64 (EU headline indicator).

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Employment and activity by sex and age, annual data, employment rate 20 to 64 (lfsi_emp_a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfsi_emp_a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which EU country has the highest employment rate?

The Netherlands, with 82.9% in 2022, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest employment rate?

Italy, with 64.8% in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Employment and activity by sex and age, annual data, employment rate 20 to 64 (lfsi_emp_a). Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Employment rate: other rankings

EU countries: more rankings