List of countries by informal employment rate

The following article lists countries by the share of informal employment in total employment. Informal employment, as defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO), refers to work arrangements that lack legal protection, social security benefits, and employment rights. It typically occurs in the unregulated or unprotected sector of the economy, where workers often lack formal contracts, job stability, and access to benefits such as paid leave, healthcare, and retirement plans. Informal employment is characterized by its casual nature, low wages, limited job security, and often involves self-employment or work in small, unregistered businesses. Worldwide, over 60% of workers are in informal employment. Informal employment differs significantly in different world regions. In Africa, 85.8% of employment falls under the informal sector, while in Asia and the Pacific, it accounts for 68.2%. The Arab States follows closely with 68.6%, while in the Americas, the proportion is 40.0%. Europe and Central Asia demonstrate the lowest prevalence of informal employment at 25.1%.^[1]