Milei halted the historic growth of public employment: it fell to 71.5 employees for every 1,000 inhabitants

The Government of Javier Milei managed to reverse the trend of growth in public employment that had consolidated during the Kirchner administrations. According to data compiled from information from the Ministry of Human Capital and the IMF, the number of public employees per 1,000 inhabitants decreased from 74.3 in 2023 to 71.5 in 2025.

The reduction occurred after the Government implemented a policy of spending cuts, reorganization of the State, and reduction of the public employee workforce, in line with one of the main objectives of the libertarian administration: to reduce the size of the State and eliminate structures deemed unnecessary.

Since Milei took office at the Casa Rosada, 76,216 public employees have been laid off, according to data released by the Government.

Public employment surged during Kirchnerism

The historical evolution clearly shows the growth of state employment during the administrations of Néstor and Cristina Kirchner.

In 2003, at the end of Eduardo Duhalde's presidency, there were 44.7 public employees per 1,000 inhabitants. A year later, during Néstor Kirchner's government, the figure rose to 45.9.

The growth continued throughout the administration. By 2007, the indicator had climbed to 52.7 public employees per 1,000 inhabitants.

During Cristina Kirchner's two terms, the expansion was even more pronounced. The indicator rose from 55.7 in 2008 to 71.4 in 2015, practically 16 additional public employees per 1,000 inhabitants.

The jump is even more significant when comparing the beginning and end of the Kirchnerist period: between 2003 and 2015, the indicator increased from 44.7 to 71.4.

Macri managed to stabilize the indicator, but Alberto Fernández increased it again

During Mauricio Macri's administration, there was a slight correction, although the level of public employment remained high.

The indicator decreased from 70.8 employees per 1,000 inhabitants in 2016 to 70.5 in 2019. That is, there was a moderate reduction, but without substantially changing the relative size of state employment.

With Alberto Fernández, on the other hand, the indicator grew again. It rose from 70.9 in 2020 to 74.3 in 2023, reaching the highest point in the entire series presented.

This figure constitutes the starting point from which the Milei administration began to act.

Milei began to reduce the size of the State

With Javier Milei's arrival in December 2023, the Government launched a policy aimed at reducing public spending and shrinking the state structure.

The data shows a change in trend. After the peak of 74.3 public employees per 1,000 inhabitants recorded in 2023, the indicator dropped to 73.0 in 2024 and to 71.5 in 2025.

The estimate for 2026 places the indicator at 70.7 public employees per 1,000 inhabitants, which would imply continuing the reduction initiated during the current administration.

If that projection materializes, the indicator would be practically at the levels recorded during Mauricio Macri's government and well below the peak reached during Alberto Fernández's government.

A sign of the change in model

The evolution of public employment is one of the indicators that allows us to observe the change in economic orientation between different administrations.

While between 2003 and 2015 the number of public employees per 1,000 inhabitants increased steadily, the Milei Government managed to reverse that trend in just two years.

For the libertarian administration, the goal is to move towards a smaller State, with lower permanent spending and a structure focused on essential functions.

In that sense, the reduction of 76,216 public employees since the beginning of Milei's presidency stands out as one of the main results of the adjustment and rationalization policy of the State implemented by the Government.

The numbers thus show a change in trend: after decades of expansion of state employment, the Milei administration began to reduce its relative weight on the population.