Sri Lanka Labour Force Participation Rate

2004 - 2025 | Quarterly | % | Department of Census and Statistics

Key information about Sri Lanka Labour Force Participation Rate

  • Sri Lanka Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 49.9 % in Sep 2025, compared with 49.3 % in the previous quarter.
  • Sri Lanka Labour Force Participation Rate is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2004 to Sep 2025, with an average rate of 53.8 % .
  • The data reached the an all-time high of 58.5 % in Sep 2013 and a record low of 46.9 % in Sep 2024.
  • Sri Lanka Labour Force Participation Rate is reported by reported by Department of Census and Statistics.
  • In the latest reports, Sri Lanka Population reached 21.8 million people in Jun 2025.
  • Unemployment Rate of Sri Lanka increased to 4.3 % in Sep 2025.

View Sri Lanka's Labour Force Participation Rate from Mar 2004 to Sep 2025 in the chart:

Sri Lanka Labour Force Participation Rate

What was Sri Lanka's Labour Force Participation Rate in Sep 2025?

Sri Lanka Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 49.9 % in Sep 2025, compared with 49.3 % in the previous quarter. See the table below for more data.

Last Previous Min Max Unit Frequency Range
49.9 Sep 2025 49.3 Jun 2025 46.9 Sep 2024 58.5 Sep 2013 % quarterly Mar 2004 - Sep 2025

Labour Force Participation Rate by Country Comparison

country/region Last Frequency Range
Albania (%) 64.0 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
Algeria (%) 41.7 2018 yearly 2003 - 2018
Argentina (%) 62.2 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Armenia (%) 58.3 Jun 2025 quarterly Mar 2008 - Jun 2025
Australia (%) 66.8 Nov 2025 monthly Feb 1978 - Nov 2025
Austria (%) 77.1 Jun 2022 quarterly Mar 2021 - Jun 2022
Azerbaijan (%) 62.9 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Bahrain (%) 70.7 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Bangladesh (%) 61.9 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Belarus (%) 86.7 2024 yearly 1995 - 2024
Belgium (%) 72.1 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1999 - Sep 2025
Bolivia (%) 79.4 Sep 2025 quarterly Dec 2015 - Sep 2025
Bosnia and Herzegovina (%) 49.1 2024 yearly 2006 - 2024
Botswana (%) 68.6 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Brazil (%) 62.2 Nov 2025 monthly Mar 2012 - Nov 2025
Brunei (%) 63.7 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Bulgaria (%) 55.5 Sep 2025 quarterly Jun 2000 - Sep 2025
Cambodia (%) 84.2 2023 yearly 2020 - 2023
Canada (%) 64.8 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1976 - Nov 2025
Chile (%) 61.9 Oct 2025 monthly Mar 2009 - Oct 2025
China (%) 65.4 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Colombia (%) 65.0 Oct 2025 monthly Jan 2001 - Oct 2025
Croatia (%) 54.2 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2007 - Sep 2025
Cyprus (%) 65.6 Sep 2025 quarterly Jun 1999 - Sep 2025
Czech Republic (%) 61.3 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1993 - Sep 2025
Denmark (%) 74.0 Oct 2025 monthly Jan 2007 - Oct 2025
Ecuador (%) 65.3 Sep 2025 quarterly Dec 2013 - Sep 2025
Egypt (%) 44.2 2024 yearly 2009 - 2024
Estonia (%) 67.2 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2000 - Sep 2025
European Union (%) 75.6 2022 yearly 1990 - 2022
Finland (%) 68.1 Nov 2025 monthly May 2004 - Nov 2025
France (%) 75.2 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2003 - Sep 2025
Georgia (%) 54.8 2024 yearly 1998 - 2024
Germany (%) 57.0 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2007 - Sep 2025
Ghana (%) 63.0 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Greece (%) 61.2 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2004 - Nov 2025
Hong Kong SAR, China (%) 57.0 Oct 2025 monthly Dec 1981 - Oct 2025
Hungary (%) 68.5 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2009 - Sep 2025
Iceland (%) 79.8 Dec 2024 monthly Jan 2003 - Dec 2024
India (%) 45.1 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Indonesia (%) 70.6 Aug 2025 semiannually Feb 2005 - Aug 2025
Iran (%) 41.0 Dec 2022 quarterly Jun 2018 - Dec 2022
Ireland (%) 66.5 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1998 - Sep 2025
Israel (%) 62.7 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2012 - Nov 2025
Italy (%) 66.5 Oct 2025 monthly Jan 2004 - Oct 2025
Ivory Coast (%) 66.7 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Japan (%) 64.1 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1968 - Nov 2025
Jordan (%) 38.5 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Kazakhstan (%) 67.9 Sep 2025 quarterly Jun 2001 - Sep 2025
Kenya (%) 66.7 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
South Korea (%) 64.8 Oct 2025 monthly Jun 1999 - Oct 2025
Kosovo (%) 43.6 Dec 2024 quarterly Mar 2016 - Dec 2024
Kuwait (%) 73.8 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Kyrgyzstan (%) 59.3 2024 yearly 1994 - 2024
Laos (%) 66.1 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Latvia (%) 70.0 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2002 - Sep 2025
Lebanon (%) 45.8 2023 yearly 1990 - 2023
Lithuania (%) 63.8 Sep 2025 quarterly Jun 1998 - Sep 2025
Luxembourg (%) 54.7 2024 yearly 2000 - 2024
Macau SAR, China (%) 67.2 Nov 2025 monthly Sep 1996 - Nov 2025
North Macedonia (%) 52.5 Sep 2025 quarterly Sep 2021 - Sep 2025
Malawi (%) 67.0 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Malaysia (%) 70.9 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2010 - Nov 2025
Malta (%) 84.0 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2018 - Sep 2025
Mauritius (%) 59.4 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2004 - Sep 2025
Mexico (%) 59.0 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2005 - Nov 2025
Moldova (%) 44.9 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2015 - Sep 2025
Mongolia (%) 62.7 Sep 2025 quarterly Sep 2006 - Sep 2025
Montenegro (%) 61.0 Jun 2025 quarterly Mar 2008 - Jun 2025
Morocco (%) 43.3 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1999 - Sep 2025
Mozambique (%) 78.9 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Myanmar (%) 61.1 2024 yearly 1991 - 2024
Nepal (%) 39.7 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Netherlands (%) 73.4 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2003 - Nov 2025
New Zealand (%) 70.0 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1986 - Sep 2025
Nigeria (%) 82.6 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Norway (%) 65.0 2024 yearly 1989 - 2024
Oman (%) 67.8 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Pakistan (%) 32.3 2021 yearly 1990 - 2021
Palestinian Territory (%) 46.1 Sep 2025 quarterly Jun 2002 - Sep 2025
Panama (%) 63.3 2024 yearly 2003 - 2024
Paraguay (%) 70.9 Jun 2025 quarterly Mar 2017 - Jun 2025
Peru (%) 72.4 2022 yearly 2001 - 2022
Philippines (%) 63.6 Oct 2025 quarterly Jul 2003 - Oct 2025
Poland (%) 59.0 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2010 - Sep 2025
Portugal (%) 61.4 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2011 - Sep 2025
Qatar (%) 87.7 2023 yearly 2006 - 2023
Romania (%) 51.6 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1996 - Sep 2025
Russia (%) 69.3 Sep 2025 monthly Aug 2009 - Sep 2025
Saudi Arabia (%) 67.1 Jun 2025 quarterly Jun 2016 - Jun 2025
Serbia (%) 55.9 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
Slovakia (%) 61.5 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2021 - Sep 2025
Slovenia (%) 59.1 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2008 - Sep 2025
South Africa (%) 59.7 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2008 - Sep 2025
Spain (%) 59.3 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2002 - Sep 2025
Sri Lanka (%) 49.9 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2004 - Sep 2025
Sudan (%) 47.6 2023 yearly 1990 - 2023
Sweden (%) 75.2 Nov 2025 monthly Apr 2005 - Nov 2025
Switzerland (%) 67.3 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2010 - Sep 2025
Syria (%) 37.9 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024

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Sri Lanka Key Series

Government and Public Finance Last Frequency Range
Consolidated Fiscal Balance: % of GDP (%) -4.7 Sep 2025 quarterly Dec 2014 - Sep 2025
Tax Revenue (USD mn) 12,278.866 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Tax Revenue: % of GDP (%) 16.8 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
National Government Debt (USD mn) 98,101.8 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
Government Debt: % of GDP (%) 93.0 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
Forecast: Government Expenditure (LKR bn) 5,776.459 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Forecast: Government Net Debt (LKR bn) 30,149.723 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Forecast: Government Revenue (LKR bn) 4,090.804 2024 yearly 1990 - 2024
Government Debt: Foreign (LKR mn) 10,974,344.939 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
Government Expenditure & LR: Recurrent (LKR mn) 1,314,106.280 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
Overall Fiscal Surplus/Deficit (LKR mn) -35,815.568 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
Government Revenue & Grants​: Revenue (LKR mn) 1,505,275.440 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2025
Government Debt: Domestic (LKR mn) 17,595,054.038 Sep 2024 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2024
Government Expenditure & LR: Capital & Net Lending (LKR mn) 218,331.171 Sep 2024 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2024
Government Expenditure & Lending Minus Repayments (LR) (LKR mn) 1,434,468.885 Sep 2024 quarterly Mar 2014 - Sep 2024
Foreign Trade Last Frequency Range
Forecast: Exports of Goods Growth (%) 3.626 2028 yearly 1980 - 2028
Trade Balance (USD mn) -730.7 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1982 - Nov 2025
Total Exports (USD mn) 1,047.8 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1982 - Nov 2025
Total Exports Growth (%) 5.4 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1983 - Nov 2025
Aluminum: Exports (USD th) 10,722.129 2024 yearly 1995 - 2024
Exports: Medicament (USD th) 6,090.751 2024 yearly 1995 - 2024
Exports: Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Product (USD th) 6,891.315 2024 yearly 1995 - 2024
Total Imports (USD mn) 1,778.5 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1982 - Nov 2025
Total Imports Growth (%) 18.9 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1983 - Nov 2025
Imports: Medicament (USD th) 358,932.953 2024 yearly 1995 - 2024
Imports: Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Product (USD th) 180,310.512 2024 yearly 1995 - 2024
Total Exports to USA (USD mn) 255.008 Sep 2025 monthly Jan 1978 - Sep 2025
Total Imports from USA (USD mn) 70.398 Sep 2025 monthly Jan 1978 - Sep 2025
Total Exports to China (USD mn) 28.146 Sep 2025 monthly Jan 2016 - Sep 2025
Total Imports from China (USD mn) 370.761 Sep 2025 monthly Jan 2016 - Sep 2025
Imports: Investment Goods (LKR mn) 93,238.689 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1995 - Nov 2025
Imports: Consumer Goods (LKR mn) 159,831.025 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1995 - Nov 2025
Imports: Intermediate Goods (LKR mn) 291,743.908 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1995 - Nov 2025
Imports: Intermediate Goods: Fuel (LKR mn) 102,097.478 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1995 - Nov 2025
Imports: Intermediate Goods: Textiles & Textile Articles (LKR mn) 62,238.604 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1995 - Nov 2025
Terms of Trade Index: 2010=100 (2010=100) 89.340 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2010 - Nov 2025
Export Volume Index (EVoI): 2010=100 (2010=100) 163.915 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2010 - Nov 2025
Import Volume Index (IVoI): 2010=100 (2010=100) 159.832 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 2010 - Nov 2025
Exports: Germany (USD mn) 742.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Exports: India (USD mn) 860.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Exports: Italy (USD mn) 641.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Exports: United Kingdom (USD mn) 963.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Exports: United States of America (USD mn) 3,321.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Imports: China (USD mn) 3,285.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Imports: India (USD mn) 4,738.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Imports: Singapore (USD mn) 871.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Imports: United Arab Emirates (USD mn) 666.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Imports: Japan (USD mn) 252.000 2022 yearly 2003 - 2022
Import Value Index (2015=100) 108.993 2021 yearly 1980 - 2021
Export Value Index (2015=100) 118.509 2021 yearly 1980 - 2021
Balance of Payments Last Frequency Range
Direct Investment Abroad (USD mn) 20.8 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
Current Account Balance (USD mn) 399.6 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1977 - Sep 2025
Current Account Balance: % of GDP (%) 1.4 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2002 - Sep 2025
Foreign Direct Investment (USD mn) 241.2 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 1977 - Sep 2025
Foreign Direct Investment: % of GDP (%) 0.9 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2002 - Sep 2025
Foreign Portfolio Investment (USD mn) 25.584 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
Foreign Portfolio Investment: % of GDP (%) 0.1 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
Foreign Portfolio Investment: Equity Securities (USD mn) -62.3 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
Foreign Portfolio Investment: Debt Securities (USD mn) 87.880 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
External Debt (USD mn) 56,262.1 Sep 2025 quarterly Dec 2012 - Sep 2025
External Debt: % of GDP (%) 75.0 2022 yearly 1998 - 2022
External Debt: Short Term (USD mn) 5,391.9 Sep 2025 quarterly Dec 2012 - Sep 2025
External Debt: Short Term: % of GDP (%) 11.5 2022 yearly 1998 - 2022
Forecast: Current Account Balance (USD bn) 1.746 2024 yearly 1980 - 2024
Net International Investment Position (USD mn) -53,070.753 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2013 - Sep 2025
BoP: Secondary Income (USD mn) 2,050.924 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Goods & Services: Goods (USD mn) -1,904.313 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Primary Income: Debit (USD mn) 678.254 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Goods & Services: Services: Credit (USD mn) 1,678.997 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Current Account: Debit (USD mn) 7,218.707 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Current Account: Credit (USD mn) 7,618.312 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Assets: Portfolio Investment (PO) (USD mn) -399.156 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Assets (USD mn) -6.896 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Goods & Services: Goods: Debit (USD mn) 5,627.302 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Liabilities: Direct Investment (DI) (USD mn) 241.172 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Assets: Direct Investment (DI) (USD mn) 20.754 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Secondary Income: Credit (USD mn) 2,073.771 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Liabilities (USD mn) 14.458 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Primary Income: Credit (USD mn) 142.555 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Current & Capital Account (USD mn) 397.572 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Capital Account: Credit (USD mn) 0.121 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Current & CA: Debit (USD mn) 7,220.861 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Secondary Income: Debit (USD mn) 22.847 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Capital Account (CP) (USD mn) -2.034 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: Current & CA: Credit (USD mn) 7,618.433 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Goods & Services: Goods: Credit (USD mn) 3,722.989 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Goods & Services: Services (USD mn) 788.694 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Assets: Reserve Assets (RA) (USD mn) 154.893 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Liabilities: Other Investment (OI) (USD mn) -252.298 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: CA: Primary Income (PI) (USD mn) -535.699 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Assets: Other Investment (OI) (USD mn) 216.613 Sep 2025 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2025
IIP: Assets (USD mn) 15,255.336 Sep 2025 quarterly Dec 2012 - Sep 2025
IIP: Liabilities (USD mn) 68,326.089 Sep 2025 quarterly Dec 2012 - Sep 2025
BoP: FA: Liabilities: Portfolio Investment (PO) (USD mn) 146.023 Sep 2024 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2024
BoP: Current Account (CA) (USD mn) 303.375 Sep 2024 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2024
BoP: CA: Goods & Services: Services: Debit (USD mn) 906.117 Sep 2024 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2024
BoP: Capital Account: Debit (USD mn) 7.600 Sep 2024 quarterly Mar 2012 - Sep 2024
BoP: FA: Assets: Financial Derivatives (USD mn) 0.000 Dec 2018 quarterly Mar 2012 - Dec 2018
BoP: FA: Liabilities: Financial Derivatives (USD mn) 0.000 Dec 2018 quarterly Mar 2012 - Dec 2018
BoP: FA: Assets: Errors & Ommissions (USD mn) 192.632 Dec 2018 quarterly Mar 2012 - Dec 2018
International Investment Position (IIP): Net (USD mn) -51,921.770 Sep 2024 quarterly Dec 2012 - Sep 2024
No of Registered Enterprises (Unit) 6,298.000 2022 yearly 1994 - 2022
Monetary Last Frequency Range
Non Performing Loans Ratio (%) 4.5 2021 yearly 1998 - 2021
Household Debt: % of GDP (%) 6.6 Dec 2024 quarterly Dec 2010 - Dec 2024
Money Supply M1 (USD mn) 6,925.998 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1994 - Nov 2025
Money Supply M2 (USD mn) 44,876.014 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1994 - Nov 2025
M2 Growth (%) 10.8 Sep 2025 monthly Jan 1995 - Sep 2025
Reserve Requirement Ratio (%) 2.0 Nov 2025 monthly Mar 1997 - Nov 2025
Foreign Exchange Reserves (USD mn) 5,943.5 Nov 2025 monthly Dec 1956 - Nov 2025
Foreign Exchange Reserves: Months of Import (NA) 3.3 Nov 2025 monthly Jan 1982 - Nov 2025
Gold Reserves (USD mn) 84.548 Nov 2025 monthly Dec 1977 - Nov 2025
Total Deposits (USD mn) 57,394.133 Dec 2024 monthly Dec 2002 - Dec 2024
Total Deposits Growth (%) 10.6 Dec 2024 monthly Dec 2003 - Dec 2024
Domestic Credit (USD mn) 60,882.3 Oct 2025 monthly Jan 1996 - Oct 2025
Domestic Credit Growth (%) 11.8 Sep 2025 monthly Jan 1997 - Sep 2025
Household Debt (USD mn) 6,750.1 Dec 2024 quarterly Jun 2010 - Dec 2024
Total Loans (USD mn) 33,660.644 Oct 2025 monthly Dec 1983 - Oct 2025
Total Loans Growth (%) 18.40 Oct 2025 monthly Dec 1984 - Oct 2025
Private Debt: % of Nominal GDP (%) 26.04 Dec 2024 quarterly Dec 2010 - Dec 2024
Official Reserve Assets (ORA) (USD mn) 6,034.009 Nov 2025 monthly Nov 2013 - Nov 2025
ORA: Foreign Currency Reserves in Convertible FC (FCR) (USD mn) 5,943.527 Nov 2025 monthly Nov 2013 - Nov 2025
Business and Economic Survey Last Frequency Range
Business Confidence Growth (% Point) 5.8 Oct 2025 monthly May 2016 - Oct 2025
Business Sentiment Index: Business Condition: Current Quarter (Index) 130.000 Sep 2025 quarterly Jun 2014 - Sep 2025
Purchasing Managers Index: Manufacturing (Index) 57.200 Dec 2024 monthly May 2015 - Dec 2024

More Indicators for Sri Lanka

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