Over 80% of Pakistan's workforce engaged in informal employment, Labour Force Survey reveals

Latest Labour Force Survey 2024‑25 from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics shows 80.8 percent of employed Pakistanis work in informal jobs, leaving just 19.2 percent in formal employment under the 21st International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) framework, according to the survey released on February 18, 2026.

Survey data indicate average monthly wages for paid employees rose 62 percent between 2020‑21 and 2024‑25, climbing from Rs24,028 to Rs39,042, with male wages rising from Rs24,643 to Rs39,302 and female wages from Rs20,117 to Rs37,347.

Under a narrower 13th ICLS non‑agriculture definition, 72.1 percent of workers remain in informal employment, showing limited expansion of formal labour protections beyond agriculture.

Survey findings highlight that informality persists across regions and sectors, with rural areas showing higher informal work shares than urban areas, and female workers more likely to be informal than male counterparts under the 21st ICLS classification.

Report details reveal that even with nominal wage growth, high inflation has curtailed real income gains, and most workers lack access to formal job benefits and protections through registered employment.