Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — OECD

Self-employed in the OECD in 2025 — 15.5%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 5 pp.

2025 15.5% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 20.5%1991
Period minimum 15.5%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — OECD, 1991–2025141618202219911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 20.5%1992: 20.5%1993: 20.4%1994: 20.3%1995: 20%1996: 19.8%1997: 19.8%1998: 19.3%1999: 18.9%2000: 18.5%2001: 18.5%2002: 18.3%2003: 18.3%2004: 18.1%2005: 17.9%2006: 17.6%2007: 17.3%2008: 17.2%2009: 17.5%2010: 17.5%2011: 17.4%2012: 17.3%2013: 17.1%2014: 16.9%2015: 16.7%2016: 16.5%2017: 16.4%2018: 16.3%2019: 16.1%2020: 16%2021: 16.2%2022: 15.9%2023: 15.7%2024: 15.6%2025: 15.5%
Change over the period: −5 pp Annual average: -0.15 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

OECD 15.5%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — OECD, by year OECD All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 15.5 −0.1 pp
2024 15.6 −0.1 pp
2023 15.7 −0.2 pp
2022 15.9 −0.3 pp
2021 16.2 +0.2 pp
2020 16 −0.1 pp
2019 16.1 −0.2 pp
2018 16.3 −0.1 pp
2017 16.4 −0.1 pp
2016 16.5 −0.2 pp
2015 16.7 −0.2 pp
2014 16.9 −0.2 pp
2013 17.1 −0.2 pp
2012 17.3 −0.1 pp
2011 17.4 −0 pp
2010 17.5 −0.1 pp
2009 17.5 +0.3 pp
2008 17.2 −0.1 pp
2007 17.3 −0.3 pp
2006 17.6 −0.2 pp
2005 17.9 −0.3 pp
2004 18.1 −0.1 pp
2003 18.3 +0 pp
2002 18.3 −0.2 pp
2001 18.5 +0 pp
2000 18.5 −0.5 pp
1999 18.9 −0.3 pp
1998 19.3 −0.5 pp
1997 19.8 −0 pp
1996 19.8 −0.2 pp
1995 20 −0.3 pp
1994 20.3 −0.1 pp
1993 20.4 −0.1 pp
1992 20.5 −0 pp
1991 20.5

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.