Euro Area Labour Force Climbs 7.8 Million to 173 Million as Migration and Older Workers Drive Growth
Updated
Updated · zpravy.kurzy.cz · May 13
Euro Area Labour Force Climbs 7.8 Million to 173 Million as Migration and Older Workers Drive Growth
4 articles · Updated · zpravy.kurzy.cz · May 13
173 million people were in the euro area labour force by mid-2025, up 7.8 million from Q4 2019 and about 5.9 million above the pre-pandemic trend.
66.2% participation in Q4 2025, up from 64.6% in 2019, reflected higher activity among women, older workers and better-educated cohorts, while foreign workers drove most of the 5.8 million rise in the working-age population.
4.2 million additional foreign workers accounted for more than half of labour-force growth over the past four years, lifting their share to 10% and helping fill shortages in sectors from construction to information services.
20.2% growth in workers aged 55-74 and a 19.3% rise in tertiary-educated workers helped push unemployment lower, but average hours worked per employee still remain below pre-COVID levels in several countries.
More than half of GDP growth in most quarters since Q3 2021 came from labour-force growth and higher employment, though the ECB warns ageing and weaker labour-market dynamism could weigh on productivity over time.
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Euro Area Labour Force Growth Surges by 7.8 Million: Drivers, Challenges, and Policy Responses (2019–2025)
Overview
Over the past five years, the euro area labour force has grown rapidly, adding 7.8 million people and reaching 173 million by mid-2025. This expansion is much faster than in the previous decade. The growth is not just in numbers—there have also been big changes in who makes up the workforce. More foreign-born workers are joining, and they are generally younger than native workers. These shifts in both size and composition highlight how the euro area labour market is evolving, with migration playing a key role in shaping its future.