At a launch event in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Planning Professor Ahsan Iqbal delivered a significant address announcing the official release of the national labour force findings.
The Labour Force Survey 2024–25 has adopted the International Conference of Labour Statisticians 19 (ICLS-19) standards, bringing Pakistan’s workforce statistics in line with global practice and strengthening the credibility and comparability of published data.
Comparing 2020–21 to 2024–25 the survey shows the labour force expanded from 71.8 million to 83.1 million, an increase of 11.3 million. Employed persons rose from 67.3 million to 77.2 million, up by 9.9 million, while unemployed individuals increased from 4.5 million to 5.9 million, a rise of 1.4 million on both measures.
Key labour market indicators also shifted: the labour force participation rate moved from 44.9% to 46.3%, the employment-to-population ratio increased from 42.1% to 43.0%, and the unemployment rate rose from 6.3% to 7.1%.
Adoption of ICLS-19 and the simultaneous publication of results under old and new criteria improve transparency and allow policymakers, researchers and analysts to interpret trends more accurately. The survey delivers a comprehensive picture of employment, wages, sectoral distribution, women’s participation, enterprise activity and unpaid care work, offering practical guidance for policy design and for businesses and development partners seeking to expand opportunities for youth and women.
