Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Australia

Self-employed in Australia in 2025 — 16.1%. Ranked 135 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 5.8 pp.

2025 16.1% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 135of 182
Period maximum 22%1993
Period minimum 16.1%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Australia, 1991–20251618202219911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 21.9%1992: 22%1993: 22%1994: 21.8%1995: 21.6%1996: 21.5%1997: 21.4%1998: 21.1%1999: 20.9%2000: 20.7%2001: 20.4%2002: 20.2%2003: 19.1%2004: 19.8%2005: 18.8%2006: 18.7%2007: 17%2008: 16.5%2009: 17.4%2010: 17.2%2011: 17.6%2012: 16.7%2013: 16.8%2014: 16.6%2015: 16.6%2016: 17%2017: 16.9%2018: 16.6%2019: 16.8%2020: 16.7%2021: 16.8%2022: 16.5%2023: 16.3%2024: 16.2%2025: 16.1%
Change over the period: −5.8 pp Annual average: -0.17 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Australia

Australia 16.1%
World 46.4%
Australia and New Zealand computed 16.5%
High-income countries computed 11%
Self-employed — Australia, by year Australia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 16.1 −0.1 pp
2024 16.2 −0.1 pp
2023 16.3 −0.2 pp
2022 16.5 −0.3 pp
2021 16.8 +0.1 pp
2020 16.7 −0.1 pp
2019 16.8 +0.2 pp
2018 16.6 −0.3 pp
2017 16.9 −0.1 pp
2016 17 +0.4 pp
2015 16.6 +0 pp
2014 16.6 −0.2 pp
2013 16.8 +0.2 pp
2012 16.7 −0.9 pp
2011 17.6 +0.4 pp
2010 17.2 −0.2 pp
2009 17.4 +0.9 pp
2008 16.5 −0.5 pp
2007 17 −1.7 pp
2006 18.7 −0.1 pp
2005 18.8 −0.9 pp
2004 19.8 +0.7 pp
2003 19.1 −1.1 pp
2002 20.2 −0.2 pp
2001 20.4 −0.3 pp
2000 20.7 −0.2 pp
1999 20.9 −0.2 pp
1998 21.1 −0.3 pp
1997 21.4 −0.2 pp
1996 21.5 −0.1 pp
1995 21.6 −0.2 pp
1994 21.8 −0.2 pp
1993 22 +0 pp
1992 22 +0 pp
1991 21.9

Australia and New Zealand, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

NZ New Zealand 18.4 AU Australia 16.1

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.