In 2014, the Inter-American Development Bank began work to design a survey to obtain information on the Bolivian labor market, which was conducted in 2015 and 2016 in the metropolitan areas of La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz. This database is an update of the data for the cities of La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz. The data correspond to the year 2022 and come from a survey conducted by the Center for Information and Statistics Generation (CEGIE) of the Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB) in the second half of 2022 and the first four months of 2023. The data were published in Urquidi et al (2023) Labor market survey in Bolivia: demand 2022 available at http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0005213. The objective of the survey was to obtain information that, on the one hand, allows a general characterization of companies small, medium and large; and, on the other hand, facilitate the characterization of their workforce, including hiring and dismissal dynamics. Finally, the aim was to obtain the skills and training requirements of the human resources they employ.

Labor Force Participation Rate in Bolivia decreased to 78.56 percent in the second quarter of 2025 from 79.06 percent in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - Bolivia Labor Force Participation Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2025, Bolivia scored **** on the gender gap index area of economic participation and opportunity. This means that women are at a ** percent disadvantage in this area in comparison to men. Moreover, the South American country had a score of **** in estimated earned income, which shows that, on average, women in Bolivia earn ** percent of the income earned by men. Overall, Bolivia scored **** in the gender gap index.

This dataset includes data for an analysis of labor demand characteristics and workforce training needs in the metropolitan areas of La Paz-El Alto, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz—large cities in Bolivia (Related publication only available in Spanish). This information is contrasted with a sample from intermediate and small cities in the country. Labor demand data for large cities comes from a survey of companies conducted in 2015 and 2016, while data for intermediate and small cities is derived from a survey conducted between 2016 and 2017. The document presents key findings on the productive characteristics of cities, company profiles, and workforce dynamics, including recruitment and selection processes, employee turnover, reasons for dismissals, training, demand for and valuation of skills, among other factors. Finally, it outlines policy implications for Bolivia’s labor market.

Labor force, total in Bolivia was reported at 6859259 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bolivia - Labor force, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.

Key information about Bolivia Labour Force Participation Rate

• Bolivia Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 77.7 % in Sep 2022, compared with 77.4 % in the previous quarter.
• Bolivia Labour Force Participation Rate is updated quarterly, available from Dec 2015 to Sep 2022, with an average rate of 71.9 % .
• The data reached the an all-time high of 78.2 % in Dec 2021 and a record low of 65.2 % in Mar 2016.
• Bolivia Labour Force Participation Rate is reported by reported by National Statistics Institute.
• In the latest reports, Bolivia Population reached 11.7 million people in Dec 2020.
• Unemployment Rate of Bolivia increased to 3.6 % in Mar 2023.
• The country's Monthly Earnings stood at 732.9 USD in Dec 2022.

Bolivia: Labor force, million people: The latest value from 2024 is 6.86 million people, an increase from 6.7 million people in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 20.90 million people, based on data from 176 countries. Historically, the average for Bolivia from 1990 to 2024 is 4.49 million people. The minimum value, 2.94 million people, was reached in 1990 while the maximum of 6.86 million people was recorded in 2024.

The database includes information on the evolution of the number of undergraduate students at universities along the central axis of Bolivia between the periods 2020-2021, according to the type of enrollment (new, enrolled, and graduates). For each of these groups, the evolution of the number of students was shown according to the legal nature of the university, the department, and the area of ​​knowledge. On the other hand, the same information was included for students at technical-level universities. This information allows us to characterize the number and distribution of professionals from both public and private universities in the central axis of the country. The data corresponds to the publication: Urquidi et al. (2023). Labor market survey in Bolivia: Supply 2022 at http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0005374

This dataset provides information on labor demand and supply in the three metropolitan areas of Bolivia’s central axis. Labor demand data comes from two surveys conducted with companies in 2015 and 2016. Labor supply data comes from a census of university training centers (both professional and technical levels) and a survey of technical institutes.

Bolivia Adequacy: Unemployment Benefits & Active Labour Market Programs: % of Total Welfare of Beneficiary Households data was reported at 1.203 % in 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.197 % for 2017. Bolivia Adequacy: Unemployment Benefits & Active Labour Market Programs: % of Total Welfare of Beneficiary Households data is updated yearly, averaging 1.200 % from Dec 2017 (Median) to 2019, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.203 % in 2019 and a record low of 1.197 % in 2017. Bolivia Adequacy: Unemployment Benefits & Active Labour Market Programs: % of Total Welfare of Beneficiary Households data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bolivia – Table BO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Social Protection and Insurance. Adequacy of unemployment benefits and active labor market programs (ALMP) is measured by the total transfer amount received by the population participating in unemployment benefits and active labor market programs as a share of their total welfare. Welfare is defined as the total income or total expenditure of beneficiary households. Unemployment benefits and active labor market programs include unemployment compensation, severance pay, and early retirement due to labor market reasons, labor market services (intermediation), training (vocational, life skills, and cash for training), job rotation and job sharing, employment incentives and wage subsidies, supported employment and rehabilitation, and employment measures for the disabled. Estimates include both direct and indirect beneficiaries.;ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection - Indicators of Resilience and Equity, The World Bank. Data are based on national representative household surveys. (datatopics.worldbank.org/aspire/);;

Historical dataset showing Bolivia labor force participation rate by year from 1990 to 2024.

The labor participation rate among the total population aged between 15 and 64 in Bolivia stood at ***** percent in 2024. Between 1990 and 2024, the labor participation rate rose by ***** percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Employment Rate in Bolivia increased to 76.70 percent in the second quarter of 2025 from 76.60 percent in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - Bolivia Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The database presents the results of the process of searching for documents and bibliography on the analysis of the characteristics and situation of the labor market in Bolivia. This version includes documents published up to 2018, which address the Bolivian reality in this area. In addition, some regional documents have been incorporated that offer relevant data or references on Bolivia or the Andean region.

Bolivia: Male labor force participation rate: The latest value from 2024 is 85 percent, an increase from 84.87 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 69.88 percent, based on data from 176 countries. Historically, the average for Bolivia from 1990 to 2024 is 80.9 percent. The minimum value, 77.74 percent, was reached in 2016 while the maximum of 85 percent was recorded in 2024.

Bolivia Benefit Incidence: Unemployment Benefits & Active Labour Market Programs (ALMP) to Poorest Quintile: % of Total Unemployment/ALMP Benefits data was reported at 12.244 % in 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.649 % for 2017. Bolivia Benefit Incidence: Unemployment Benefits & Active Labour Market Programs (ALMP) to Poorest Quintile: % of Total Unemployment/ALMP Benefits data is updated yearly, averaging 9.446 % from Dec 2017 (Median) to 2019, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.244 % in 2019 and a record low of 6.649 % in 2017. Bolivia Benefit Incidence: Unemployment Benefits & Active Labour Market Programs (ALMP) to Poorest Quintile: % of Total Unemployment/ALMP Benefits data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bolivia – Table BO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Social Protection and Insurance. Benefit incidence of unemployment benefits and active labor market programs (ALMP) to poorest quintile shows the percentage of total unemployment and active labor market programs benefits received by the poorest 20% of the population. Unemployment benefits and active labor market programs include unemployment compensation, severance pay, and early retirement due to labor market reasons, labor market services (intermediation), training (vocational, life skills, and cash for training), job rotation and job sharing, employment incentives and wage subsidies, supported employment and rehabilitation, and employment measures for the disabled. Estimates include both direct and indirect beneficiaries.;ASPIRE: The Atlas of Social Protection - Indicators of Resilience and Equity, The World Bank. Data are based on national representative household surveys. (datatopics.worldbank.org/aspire/);;

Bolivia BO: Labour Force: Female: % of Total Labour Force data was reported at 46.239 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 46.081 % for 2023. Bolivia BO: Labour Force: Female: % of Total Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 41.893 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2024, with 35 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 46.239 % in 2024 and a record low of 41.054 % in 1990. Bolivia BO: Labour Force: Female: % of Total Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bolivia – Table BO.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.;World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.;Weighted average;

The data comes from a survey carried out on a sample of 25 intermediate and small cities in Bolivia, carried out in the period 2022. This updates the data from the labor market survey carried out in 2017 in intermediate and small cities that was used for this same analysis in 2020. The main characteristics of companies and the workforce in a post-pandemic context are described, and the training challenges facing the Bolivian labor market are identified. Information on the employment prospects of students in their last year of high school is also included.

The data collected in this study allows to characterize the diversity in companies in the cities of La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. This information was collected through a survey conducted during the third quarter of 2023. The objective of the surveys was to obtain a proxy for information that allows characterizing, on the one hand, in a general way the composition of the representation of the various groups in companies; the existence of hiring policies for these diverse groups and the obstacles that companies have faced during the hiring process. To obtain this information, the survey was conducted with the person in charge of human resources or the person in charge of hiring and human talent management. The data were published in Urquidi et al (2024) Labor market survey in Bolivia: Diversity and inclusion policies in formal companies 2023 available at http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0012986

Labor force with advanced education (% of total working-age population with advanced education) in Bolivia was reported at 86.86 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Bolivia - Labor force with advanced education (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on October of 2025.