Data / Rankings / Employment rate / EU countries

EU countries by employment rate

The Netherlands had the highest employment rate of 27 EU countries in 2024, at 83.5%. Italy had the lowest, at 67.1%. The median was 78.3% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 75.7%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

Highest83.5Netherlands
Lowest67.1Italy
Median78.327 EU countries
European Union (27)75.7History

All EU countries, 2024

CSVChart (SVG)

NetherlandsNetherlands: 83.5 %83.5MaltaMalta: 82.7 %82.7CzechiaCzechia: 82.3 %82.3SwedenSweden: 81.9 %81.9EstoniaEstonia: 81.8 %81.8GermanyGermany: 81.1 %81.1HungaryHungary: 81.1 %81.1DenmarkDenmark: 80.2 %80.2CyprusCyprus: 80.1 %80.1IrelandIreland: 79.8 %79.8LithuaniaLithuania: 79.2 %79.2PortugalPortugal: 78.5 %78.5PolandPoland: 78.4 %78.4SloveniaSlovenia: 78.3 %78.3SlovakiaSlovakia: 78.1 %78.1AustriaAustria: 77.4 %77.4LatviaLatvia: 77.4 %77.4FinlandFinland: 77 %77BulgariaBulgaria: 76.8 %76.8FranceFrance: 75 %75LuxembourgLuxembourg: 74.2 %74.2CroatiaCroatia: 73.6 %73.6BelgiumBelgium: 72.3 %72.3SpainSpain: 71.4 %71.4RomaniaRomania: 69.5 %69.5GreeceGreece: 69.3 %69.3ItalyItaly: 67.1 %67.1
%. Source: Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Netherlands83.50 pts
2Malta82.7+1.4 pts
3Czechia82.3+0.6 pts
4Sweden81.9-0.7 pts
5Estonia81.8-0.3 pts
6Germany81.10 pts
6Hungary81.1+0.4 pts
8Denmark80.2+0.4 pts
9Cyprus80.1+0.3 pts
10Ireland79.8+0.7 pts
11Lithuania79.2+0.7 pts
12Portugal78.5+0.5 pts
13Poland78.4+0.5 pts
14Slovenia78.3+0.8 pts
15Slovakia78.1+0.6 pts
16Austria77.4+0.2 pts
16Latvia77.4-0.1 pts
18Finland77-1.2 pts
19Bulgaria Series break76.8+0.6 pts
20France75+0.7 pts
21Luxembourg74.2-0.6 pts
22Croatia73.6+2.8 pts
23Belgium72.3+0.2 pts
24Spain71.4+0.9 pts
25Romania69.5+0.8 pts
26Greece69.3+1.9 pts
27Italy67.1+0.8 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 83.5% in 2024, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest employment rate?

Italy, with 67.1% in 2024.

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