--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/" title: "Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T08:15:32+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-17T10:12:59+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2025" ipm_keyword: - "adult skills" - "early education" - "frontier firms" - "human capital" - "labour market mismatch" - "OECD" - "PIAAC" - "productivity" - "R&D" - "skill allocation" ipm_research_theme: - "Policy and institutions" ipm_country_focus: - "International" - "OECD" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/ # Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-49-2-Andrews-Egert-Maisonneuve.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Andrews, Dan, Balázs Égert, and Christine de La Maisonneuve. 2025. “Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 49 (Fall 2025): 41–63. https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/ ## Authors: - Dan Andrews OECD Economics Department - Balázs Égert OECD Economics Department - Christine de La Maisonneuve OECD Economics Department ## IPM Issue 49 Fall 2025 pp. 41–63 ## Related IPM articles [Is the SNA Still Useful? 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The Canadian Experience Tim Sargent Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 39–53](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/how-does-industrial-policy-impact-output-hours-and-productivity-the-canadian-experience/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn The 2023 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) reveals large cross-country differences in adult skill levels that carry important implications for productivity. Cross-country analysis shows a positive relationship between labour productivity and the average level of adult skills at the industry level. This reflect partly a positive link between adult skills and R&D intensity – which is estimated to account for one-quarter of cross-country differences in industry productivity. But the ways in which skilled workers are allocated to different job roles and firms also matters. Higher productivity is observed in industries with lower labour market mismatches and where high-skilled workers are employed in larger and more dynamic firms. Differences in these patterns of allocation can account for at least 12 per cent of the productivity gaps between countries. These findings highlight the importance of policies aimed at enhancing adult skills and structural reforms to improve labour market adaptability and reallocation. Le Programme international pour l’évaluation des compétences des adultes (PIAAC) 2023 révèle de grandes différences transnationales dans les niveaux de compétences des adultes qui ont d’importantes implications pour la productivité. L’analyse transnationale montre une relation positive entre la productivité du travail et le niveau moyen de compétences des adultes au niveau industriel. Cela reflète en partie un lien positif entre les compétences des adultes et l’intensité de la R-D, qui est estimé expliquer un quart des différences transnationales dans la productivité industrielle. Mais la façon dont les travailleurs qualifiés sont affectés à différents rôles professionnels et entreprises importe également. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-49-2-Andrews-Egert-Maisonneuve.pdf)