Employment Rate in Ecuador increased to 44.30 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 43.30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Ecuador Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The statistic shows the distribution of employment in Ecuador by economic sector from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, 30 percent of the employees in Ecuador were active in the agricultural sector, 17.47 percent in industry and 52.54 percent in the service sector.

Ecuador Employment Rate: Other: Female data was reported at 29.593 % in Jun 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 29.394 % for Mar 2019. Ecuador Employment Rate: Other: Female data is updated quarterly, averaging 29.394 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.455 % in Mar 2014 and a record low of 26.626 % in Dec 2017. Ecuador Employment Rate: Other: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Census. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.G019: ENEMDU: Employment Rate.

Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 17.47 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employment in industry (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Employment to Population Ratio for Ecuador (SLEMPTOTLSPZSECU) from 1991 to 2024 about Ecuador, employment-population ratio, employment, and population.

Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 52.54 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employment in services (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

The employment rate in Ecuador was approximately 62.72 percent in 2023. Between 2010 and 2023, the rate rose by around 2.60 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 30 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Ecuador Employment Rate: Urban: Non-Classified: Ambato data was reported at 0.794 % in Jun 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.423 % for Mar 2019. Ecuador Employment Rate: Urban: Non-Classified: Ambato data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.708 % from Jun 2007 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 49 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.301 % in Dec 2012 and a record low of 0.000 % in Mar 2014. Ecuador Employment Rate: Urban: Non-Classified: Ambato data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Census. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.G020: ENEMDU: Employment Rate: Urban.

Ecuador Employment Rate: Other: White data was reported at 26.812 % in Jun 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 26.300 % for Mar 2019. Ecuador Employment Rate: Other: White data is updated quarterly, averaging 23.654 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.781 % in Sep 2017 and a record low of 19.726 % in Sep 2016. Ecuador Employment Rate: Other: White data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Census. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.G019: ENEMDU: Employment Rate.

Employment, million people in Ecuador, March, 2025 The most recent value is 8.44 million employed people as of Q1 2025, an increase compared to the previous value of 8.34 million employed people. Historically, the average for Ecuador from Q4 2013 to Q1 2025 is 7.7 million employed people. The minimum of 6.6 million employed people was recorded in Q2 2020, while the maximum of 8.45 million employed people was reached in Q3 2023. | TheGlobalEconomy.com

Ecuador: Employment in agriculture, % of total employment: The latest value from 2022 is 31.54 percent, a decline from 32.18 percent in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 23.00 percent, based on data from 179 countries. Historically, the average for Ecuador from 1991 to 2022 is 28.27 percent. The minimum value, 25.28 percent, was reached in 2014 while the maximum of 32.18 percent was recorded in 2021.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (national estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 62.22 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

In 2022, informal employment in Ecuador constituted 68.5 percent of total employment in the country. In this year, the share of informally employed population increased by almost 5 percentage point in comparison to the percent in 2019. Informal employment is defined as work that is not formally registered or regulated by existing legal frameworks.

The informal sector in Ecuador

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a great impact on the Ecuadorian job market. It contributed to the raise of unemployment rates and worsening labor conditions, which pushed many workers towards the shadow economy sector. Although informal employment can be observed across the whole national territory, it is a particularly persistent problem in the countryside. In 2022, over 75 percent of the population in rural areas worked in the informal sector, nearly 40 percent more than in urban areas.

A common problem across Latin America

Economic growth and increasing level of education in Latin America do not seem to have a positive impact on the problem of informal employment. In almost every Latin American country, the share of the workforce employed in the informal sector exceeded half of the total working population in 2022. In Bolivia, the informal employment exceeded 80 percent. In economies such as Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, El Salvador, and Paraguay, more than two thirds of the employment force was working in the grey sector. Hindering tax revenues, data collection, or access to social benefits (such as unemployment payments or pensions) are only some of the challenges that both Latin American governments and residents have to face.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (national estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 75.06 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (%) (national estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 50.64 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employment to population ratio, 15+, female (national estimate) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Employment in services, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 45.39 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employees, services, male (% of male employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Ecuador Employment Rate: Indigenous data was reported at 98.020 % in Jun 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.013 % for Mar 2019. Ecuador Employment Rate: Indigenous data is updated quarterly, averaging 98.029 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to Jun 2019, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.990 % in Sep 2017 and a record low of 96.867 % in Sep 2014. Ecuador Employment Rate: Indigenous data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Census. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.G019: ENEMDU: Employment Rate.

As of June 2024, around *** million people were employed in Ecuador. The South American country ranks as one of the lowest unemployment rates in Latin America. Nonetheless, around **** percent of employment was unpaid, and more than ** percent of employees were sub employed or under other non-suitable work conditions.

Employment in agriculture, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Ecuador was reported at 27.56 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Ecuador - Employees, agriculture, female (% of female employment) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.