Facts and figures: the world of work today

90 %

of the 187 member states of the International Labour Organization (ILO) have a statutory 
minimum wage.*

60 % 

of a sample of 160 countries adjusted the value of their minimum wages in 2022, but in only one in four countries did these changes result in a real increase in value. In the remaining countries, minimum wage increases did not compensate for inflation.*

Two thirds

out of a sample of 72 countries witnessed reductions in wage inequality since the beginning of the 21st century. The declines have been more pronounced among low-income and lower-middle-income countries. On average, low-income countries display the highest level of wage inequality and high-income countries the lowest. The sample represents about 73 % of wage employees at the global level. Informal sector workers were not included.*

57.8 % 

of the world’s labour force work in the informal sector. The rate varies widely from region to region. It is particularly high in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, both at around 86 %. In North America and Europe (excluding Eastern Europe), the figure is around 8.6 %.**

4.7 %

of the global labour force are international migrants. Northern America and Europe (excluding Eastern Europe) host almost half of them together.***

59 % 

of 145 countries surveyed allow workers to associate with trade unions. However, only 26 % of the assessed countries effectively allow workers the right to strike.****

61 % 

of the assessed 145 countries set the minimum age for full-time employment at 15 years or lower.****

35 % 

of the 145 countries have no provisions for unemployment benefits. Fifty of them require severance pay on termination of employment; six have no provision for unemployment benefits or severance pay.****

53 %  

of the 145 countries assessed have no legislation on parental leave. Another seven countries limit parental leave to four months.****
 

Sources:

* International Labour Organization, 2024: 
Global Wage Report 2024-25: Is wage inequality decreasing globally?

Wage inequality has been calculated on the basis of various indicators, among them the share of workers who are low-paid and the Palma ratio, a measurement of inequality calculated by dividing the total hourly wages of the top 10 % of the wage distribution by the total hourly wages of the bottom 40 % of the wage distribution.

** International Labour Organization: ILOSTAT data explorer. 
rshiny.ilo.org/dataexplorer9/

*** International Labour Organization, 2024: ILO global estimates on international migrant workers. ilo.org/publications/major-publications/ilo-global-estimates-international-migrants-labour-force

**** WageIndicator Foundation: Labour Rights Index 2024.
Labour Law for 135 Countries Covered in One Global Index - 
Labour Rights Index

Isah Shafiq is a student of political science at Goethe University Frankfurt and a student assistant at D+C.
euz.editor@dandc.eu