UNEVOC Connect

Work that lacks social and legal protections and employment benefits. These jobs may be found in the formal sector, the informal sector or in households.

The following definition of informal employment follows the one recommended by the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS). Thus, informal workers belong to any of the following categories:

1. unpaid family workers in registered or unregistered businesses with more than five employees;

2. employees in registered firms (or firms with more than five employees)without access to at least one of the three key benefits;

3. own-account workers with unregistered activities;

4. employers in unregistered businesses with less than five workers;

5. unpaid family workers in unregistered businesses with less than five employees;

6. employees in unregistered firms with less than five workers and without access to at least one of the three key benefits;

7. employees in unregistered firms with less than five workers with access to all three key benefits;

8. members of unregistered producers’ cooperatives with less than five workers;

9. workers not classifiable by status in other unregistered businesses with less than five workers.

The definition was established in the 15th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) and expanded to cover informal jobs in the formal sector in the 17th ICLS.