Photo: Nash Belarus · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 03 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Solomon Islands: Work & Labour
Can people find work, and on what terms?
Solomon Islands is placed joint 39th of 182 countries on work & labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Employment-to-Population Ratio 83.09 (2025); Labour Income Share 46.94 (2025).
Share
Work & Labour
joint39th
of 182 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Solomon Islands on work & labour — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Employment-to-Population Ratio
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
83.09
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)
Higher is better
Solomon Islands: 83.09. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 21.21 (São Tomé and Príncipe) to 86.9 (Qatar); the world median is 57.72.
- World median
- 57.72
- Best in Melanesia
- 83.09 Solomon Islands
Key 3 of 4
Unemployment Rate
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
1.431
Unemployment (% of labour force)
Lower is better
Solomon Islands: 1.431. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.13 (Qatar) to 34.2 (Eswatini); the world median is 5.084.
- World median
- 5.084
- Best in Melanesia
- 1.431 Solomon Islands
Key 4 of 4
Vulnerable Employment
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
68.65
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment)
Lower is better
Solomon Islands: 68.65. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.456 (Qatar) to 90.22 (Chad); the world median is 28.67.
- World median
- 28.67
- Best in Melanesia
- 14.16 New Caledonia
02Over time
Which way Solomon Islands is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Employment-to-Population Ratio
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%) · higher is better
Solomon IslandsWorld median
Solomon Islands rose from 81.93 in 2000 to 83.09 in 2025; the world median went from 55.86 to 57.72.
Every year’s figures
Year Solomon Islands World median 2025 83.089 57.720 2024 83.059 57.694 2023 83.064 58.158 2022 83.042 57.688 2021 83.169 56.066 2020 82.794 55.691 2019 83.684 57.871 2018 83.695 56.911 2017 83.707 56.738 2016 83.719 56.845 2015 83.806 56.788 2014 83.751 56.774 2013 83.688 56.229 2012 83.476 56.289 2011 83.151 56.297 2010 82.972 56.212 2009 82.802 56.255 2008 82.769 57.308 2007 82.840 56.933 2006 82.855 56.685 2005 82.866 56.129 2004 82.836 55.465 2003 82.726 55.630 2002 82.452 55.843 2001 82.235 56.018 2000 81.928 55.861 Labour Income Share
Labour income share of GDP (%) · higher is better
Solomon IslandsWorld median
Solomon Islands rose from 46.49 in 2004 to 46.94 in 2025; the world median went from 46.01 to 46.23.
Every year’s figures
Year Solomon Islands World median 2025 46.94 46.230 2024 46.99 46.060 2023 46.97 45.900 2022 47.03 45.615 2021 46.79 45.433 2020 47.72 47.267 2019 47.52 46.277 2018 47.34 46.187 2017 47.28 46.467 2016 46.81 46.798 2015 47.57 46.876 2014 47.67 47.281 2013 46.89 46.887 2012 47.44 46.231 2011 46.47 45.679 2010 46.04 46.024 2009 47.39 47.071 2008 46.74 45.312 2007 47.26 45.246 2006 47.17 45.670 2005 46.55 46.265 2004 46.49 46.012 Unemployment Rate
Unemployment (% of labour force) · lower is better
Solomon IslandsWorld median
Solomon Islands fell from 2.446 in 2000 to 1.431 in 2025; the world median went from 6.918 to 5.084.
Every year’s figures
Year Solomon Islands World median 2025 1.431 5.08 2024 1.444 5.15 2023 1.443 5.21 2022 1.475 5.34 2021 0.879 6.04 2020 0.868 6.38 2019 0.746 5.36 2018 0.722 5.35 2017 0.727 5.59 2016 0.736 5.90 2015 0.736 6.41 2014 0.730 6.58 2013 0.694 6.71 2012 0.984 6.79 2011 1.292 6.90 2010 1.617 7.04 2009 2.020 6.67 2008 1.998 5.79 2007 1.978 6.00 2006 1.916 6.50 2005 1.879 7.09 2004 2.026 6.80 2003 2.286 6.95 2002 2.698 6.91 2001 2.642 6.96 2000 2.446 6.92 Vulnerable Employment
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment) · lower is better
Solomon IslandsWorld median
Solomon Islands fell from 72.33 in 2000 to 68.65 in 2025; the world median went from 35.67 to 28.67.
Every year’s figures
Year Solomon Islands World median 2025 68.653 28.67 2024 68.799 29.04 2023 68.949 29.33 2022 69.042 29.67 2021 69.141 30.01 2020 69.776 30.54 2019 68.844 29.98 2018 68.984 30.15 2017 69.136 29.93 2016 69.336 29.91 2015 69.497 30.26 2014 69.552 30.47 2013 69.795 31.14 2012 69.970 31.00 2011 70.244 31.41 2010 70.883 32.37 2009 71.352 32.59 2008 71.762 31.76 2007 72.160 33.47 2006 72.499 34.27 2005 72.847 34.66 2004 72.978 35.51 2003 73.086 35.90 2002 73.004 35.96 2001 72.752 35.27 2000 72.332 35.67
03In context
Solomon Islands beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 182 countries on work & labour, never a place within the region.
Solomon Islands and Melanesia
Solomon Islands has no land border, so the table compares it with its sub-region. Standing among all 182; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Employment-to-Population RatioEmployed share of the population aged 15+ (%) | Labour Income ShareLabour income share of GDP (%) | Unemployment RateUnemployment (% of labour force) | Vulnerable EmploymentVulnerable employment (% of total employment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Islands | =39th | 83.09 | 46.94 | 1.431 | 68.65 |
 Vanuatu | 88th | 55.16 | 60.84 | 5.073 | 57.99 |
 New Caledonia | 115th | 50.12 | 52.94 | 11.17 | 14.16 |
 Fiji | 130th | 54.1 | 42.64 | 5.347 | 32.79 |
 Papua New Guinea | 150th | 50.73 | 32.57 | 2.571 | 71.16 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Melanesia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 182.
- Solomon Islands=39th
- Vanuatu88th
- New Caledonia115th
- Fiji130th
- Papua New Guinea150th
Placed either side on work & labour
The countries immediately above and below Solomon Islands in the topic’s list.
Estonia=37th
Thailand=37th
Hungary=39th- Solomon Islands=39th
Croatia41st
Latvia42nd
Oman43rd
04Context, no vote
Where Solomon Islands is ahead of the world, and behind
22 more statistics filed under work & labour, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median6
Statistics on which Solomon Islands does better than the middle country measured.
Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3682.3453.36No real change since 2015
Solomon Islands: 82.34 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.
Position 2nd of 182 · derived.
Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 61.6684.361.66No real change since 2015
Solomon Islands: 84.3 · world median 61.66 · Population aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.34 to 87.01; higher is better.
Position 3rd of 182 · derived.
Youth Unemployment RateILO · 2025 · world median 12.832.75912.83▼ Worsened since 2015
Solomon Islands: 2.759 · world median 12.83 · Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.457 to 76.77; lower is better.
Position 174th of 182 · derived, 1st = worst.
Firms Offering Formal TrainingWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 32.0735.2832.07No earlier reading
Solomon Islands: 35.28 · world median 32.07 · Firms offering formal training to permanent full-time workers (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.42 to 79.12; higher is better.
Firms with a Female Top ManagerWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 19.1620.819.16No earlier reading
Solomon Islands: 20.8 · world median 19.16 · Firms with a female top manager (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.429 to 62.9; higher is better.
Position 79th of 179 · derived.
Firms Competing Against Informal FirmsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 41.8139.2341.81No earlier reading
Solomon Islands: 39.23 · world median 41.81 · Firms competing against unregistered or informal firms (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.926 to 90.5; lower is better.
Position 100th of 181 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median8
Statistics on which Solomon Islands does worse than the middle country measured.
Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 45.935.945.9No earlier reading
Solomon Islands: 35.9 · world median 45.9 · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Compliance with Labour RightsILO · 2024 · world median 1.612.761.61No real change since 2015
Solomon Islands: 2.76 · world median 1.61 · Compliance with freedom of association and collective bargaining rights (0 = best, 10 = worst). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 10; lower is better.
Human Capital Wealth per CapitaWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 25,23011,52625,230No real change since 2010
Solomon Islands: 11,526 · world median 25,230 · Human capital per person — present value of future earnings (real chained 2019 US$). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 700.38 to 735,422; higher is better.
Position 106th of 151 · derived.
Length of Paid Maternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 988498▼ Worsened since 2015
Solomon Islands: 84 · world median 98 · Paid maternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 410; higher is better.
Length of Paid Paternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 303▼ Worsened since 2015
Solomon Islands: 0 · world median 3 · Paid paternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 196; higher is better.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.88543.334.885▼ Worsened since 2015
Solomon Islands: 43.33 · world median 4.885 · Employed people living in extreme poverty (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.007 to 86.02; lower is better.
Labour Productivity per Hour WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 22.162.6522.16No real change since 2015
Solomon Islands: 2.65 · world median 22.16 · Output per hour worked (constant 2021 international $ at PPP). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.92 to 164.65; higher is better.
Position 172nd of 182 · derived.
GDP per Person EmployedWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 47,3844,51947,384▼ Worsened since 2015
Solomon Islands: 4,519 · world median 47,384 · GDP per person employed (constant 2021 international $). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2,456 to 262,554; higher is better.
Position 162nd of 168 · derived.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 000No earlier reading
Solomon Islands: 0 · world median 0 · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
No better end7
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Self-Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 31.8469.9431.84Moved since 2015
Solomon Islands: 69.94 · world median 31.84 · Self-employed (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.832 to 91.56.
Position 32nd of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in AgricultureILO · 2025 · world median 14.3842.4714.38Moved since 2015
Solomon Islands: 42.47 · world median 14.38 · Employment in agriculture (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.095 to 85.34.
Position 34th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in ServicesILO · 2025 · world median 59.5149.9559.51Moved since 2015
Solomon Islands: 49.95 · world median 59.51 · Employment in services (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.56 to 92.17.
Position 126th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8934.9438.89Moved since 2015
Solomon Islands: 34.94 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 135th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Statutory Minimum WageILO · 2024 · world median 657.95218.99657.95Moved since 2014
Solomon Islands: 218.99 · world median 657.95 · Statutory minimum wage per month (2021 PPP $). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4.038 to 3,804.
Employment in IndustryILO · 2025 · world median 18.887.57918.88Moved since 2015
Solomon Islands: 7.579 · world median 18.88 · Employment in industry (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 3.103 to 39.44.
Position 173rd of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Public Sector EmploymentWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 15.011.67215.01No earlier reading
Solomon Islands: 1.672 · world median 15.01 · Public sector employment (% of total employment). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 1.672 to 47.1.
Position 135th of 135 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Solomon Islands
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker (last 2024), Average Monthly Earnings of Employees (last 2005), Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4), Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Share of Senior and Middle Management, Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Informal Employment Rate, Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Low Pay Rate, Share of Temporary Employees, Trade Union Density and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (last 2013). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Work & Labour among Solomon Islands’s 15 topics
Work & Labour is Solomon Islands’s 2nd best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Environment & Sustainability7th of 1862/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 39th of 1824/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 39th of 1773/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties83rd of 1984/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade77th of 1773/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 121st of 1944/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge134th of 1983/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 125th of 1762/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing145th of 2003/4 keys
- Gender & Equality137th of 1833/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital151st of 1963/3 keys
- Energy129th of 1652/3 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 174th of 1933/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture170th of 1844/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 185th of 1984/4 keys
No standing on Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on work & labour
The three countries placed highest of 182, and the leaders Solomon Islands can most readily be measured against.
1
IcelandNorthern Europe
1st of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
South KoreaEastern Asia
3rd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Oceania
Australia=4th4/4 keysHighest in Melanesia
Solomon Islands=39th4/4 keys
Positions out of 182 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Solomon Islands and work & labour
On work & labour
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Highest Average Salaries in 2024
The ten highest-paying countries of 2024, their bars coloured by continent, and six more added for comparison — from Australia in 13th place to India in 85th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Lowest Average Salaries in 2024
The bottom ten of 196 countries, and six more added for comparison. Niger, Madagascar and Liberia are all published at US$47 a month and still carry three different ranks.
08Questions
Solomon Islands on work & labour: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Solomon Islands rank on work & labour?
Solomon Islands is placed joint 39th of 182 countries on Work & Labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Employment-to-Population Ratio, Labour Income Share, Unemployment Rate and Vulnerable Employment). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Employment-to-Population Ratio figure for Solomon Islands?
83.09 in 2025 (employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 57.72.
What is the latest Labour Income Share figure for Solomon Islands?
46.94 in 2025 (labour income share of GDP (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 46.23.
How have Solomon Islands’s work & labour figures changed?
Employment-to-Population Ratio rose from 81.93 in 2000 to 83.09 in 2025; Labour Income Share rose from 46.49 in 2004 to 46.94 in 2025; Unemployment Rate fell from 2.446 in 2000 to 1.431 in 2025; Vulnerable Employment fell from 72.33 in 2000 to 68.65 in 2025.
Which work & labour statistics are missing for Solomon Islands?
No current reading is published for Solomon Islands on Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per Worker, Average Monthly Earnings of Employees, Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4), Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Share of Senior and Middle Management, Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Informal Employment Rate, Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Low Pay Rate, Share of Temporary Employees, Trade Union Density and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Wages in money terms are not a key here, because pay figures are hard to compare fairly across countries with very different prices. Labour productivity, working hours, youth unemployment and the balance between farming, industry and services are published on this page as context. The size and growth of the wider economy belong to Economy & Innovation.
How the Work & Labour standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The work & labour method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Employment-to-Population Ratio — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Labour Income Share — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Unemployment Rate — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Vulnerable Employment — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
The other 22 statistics on this page come from 2 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Solomon Islands’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Solomon Islands (banner) — Nash Belarus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iceland — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Solomon Islands: Work & Labour — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/solomon-islands/work