Optional Work Index
Release 2026.2 Updated 17 Jul 2026

Global Optional Work Index

150 scoring entities · seven categories · two-sided, one fixed method

Category averages
click a category to drill in
Tier 1
Major AI & Automation Powers
23.5 /100
4 countries · range 17.6–28.3
Tier 2
Advanced Tech Economies
27.9 /100
9 countries · range 20.9–39.3
Tier 3
Large Diversified Emerging
21.4 /100
17 countries · range 16.2–26.4
Tier 4
Manufacturing-Driven Emerging
21.1 /100
19 countries · range 15.6–25.2
Tier 5a
Resource/Primary-Sector, High-Income
24.4 /100
12 countries · range 17.6–34.0
Tier 5b
Resource-Driven, Low/Mid-Income
20.7 /100
25 countries · range 15.7–29.7
Tier 6
Low-Income / High-Informality
19.1 /100
64 countries · range 13.9–30.6
All countries by group

Tier 1 · Major AI & Automation Powers

United States 26.6 European Union 17.6 China 28.3 India 21.4

Tier 2 · Advanced Tech Economies

Japan 26.1 South Korea 28.8 Taiwan 27.1 Singapore 39.3 Israel 20.9 Switzerland 31.1 United Kingdom 25.7 Canada 29.5 Hong Kong 22.7

Tier 3 · Large Diversified Emerging

Brazil 18.8 Mexico 23.1 Russia 21.8 Indonesia 16.2 Turkey 21.9 Argentina 22.4 Egypt 21.9 South Africa 24.7 Philippines 17.3 Colombia 20.0 Chile 20.6 Ukraine 23.7 Uruguay 21.4 Panama 18.3 Costa Rica 20.0 Georgia 26.4 Armenia 25.6

Tier 4 · Manufacturing-Driven Emerging

Vietnam 19.5 Thailand 20.3 Malaysia 19.0 Bangladesh 17.7 Cambodia 15.6 Sri Lanka 19.3 Morocco 22.2 Tunisia 25.0 Dominican Republic 21.8 Pakistan 19.9 Serbia 21.9 Belarus 24.3 Mauritius 18.5 Jordan 25.2 North Macedonia 21.6 Bosnia and Herzegovina 22.1 Albania 21.8 Montenegro 22.9 Moldova 21.6

Tier 5a · Resource/Primary-Sector, High-Income

Qatar 20.5 Kuwait 21.5 United Arab Emirates 25.6 Saudi Arabia 25.2 Bahrain 22.2 Oman 21.3 Brunei 17.6 Norway 29.4 Iceland 25.7 Australia 29.9 New Zealand 34.0 Trinidad and Tobago 19.6

Tier 5b · Resource-Driven, Low/Mid-Income

Nigeria 15.7 Ghana 16.1 Angola 17.8 Algeria 23.7 Kazakhstan 22.2 Uzbekistan 21.6 Azerbaijan 21.9 Turkmenistan 23.3 Iraq 28.6 Iran 18.7 Libya 23.7 Venezuela 19.9 Bolivia 18.6 Ecuador 17.3 Peru 18.1 Mongolia 22.1 Papua New Guinea 17.4 Botswana 23.6 Namibia 22.7 Zambia 17.7 Guyana 29.7 Suriname 20.8 Gabon 20.9 Republic of Congo 18.4 Equatorial Guinea 15.9

Tier 6 · Low-Income / High-Informality

Ethiopia 18.0 Kenya 16.8 Uganda 16.4 Tanzania 16.2 Rwanda 22.9 Burundi 15.7 Malawi 17.1 Mozambique 17.3 Nepal 17.4 Afghanistan 18.1 Yemen 25.6 Haiti 16.5 Chad 15.0 South Sudan 20.5 DR Congo 14.1 Madagascar 15.7 Mali 16.5 Niger 15.6 Burkina Faso 15.8 Sierra Leone 14.6 Liberia 16.8 Guinea 17.6 Benin 16.6 Togo 16.2 Senegal 17.3 Central African Republic 14.4 Somalia 21.5 Eritrea 13.9 Lesotho 21.1 Eswatini 24.2 Zimbabwe 17.0 Gambia 16.7 Guinea-Bissau 16.0 Comoros 16.3 Djibouti 26.6 Mauritania 23.1 Cameroon 15.4 Cote d'Ivoire 16.7 Myanmar 16.2 Laos 16.7 Tajikistan 25.3 Kyrgyzstan 26.1 Bhutan 21.9 Timor-Leste 21.9 Honduras 16.3 Guatemala 16.3 Nicaragua 16.8 El Salvador 16.9 Paraguay 17.8 Kosovo 20.7 Cabo Verde 19.0 Sao Tome and Principe 26.2 Fiji 20.9 Solomon Islands 22.1 Vanuatu 20.9 Samoa 19.4 Tonga 22.7 Cuba 21.3 Jamaica 19.2 Lebanon 21.3 Syria 30.6 Palestine 23.6 North Korea 27.8 Sudan 18.3