Employers, total (% of total employment) in Canada
Canada: Employers, total (% of total employment) was 3.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Canada, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employers, total (% of total employment) in Canada stood at 3.4%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 25.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, total (% of total employment) in Canada peaked at 6.5% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2025.
Canada ranks 98th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.5% | — |
| 1992 | 6.4% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 6.4% | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | -4.8% |
| 1995 | 6.2% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 6.1% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 5.9% | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 5.8% | -3.2% |
| 1999 | 5.8% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 5.5% | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 5.3% | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 5.1% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 5.1% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 5.4% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 5.0% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 4.8% | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 4.8% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 4.6% | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 4.5% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 4.5% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 4.4% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 4.3% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 4.5% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | -5.3% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 3.9% | -5.9% |
| 2022 | 3.7% | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 3.7% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | -8.4% |
| 2025 | 3.4% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.1% | 5.8% | 6.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.7% | 3.4% | 4.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More work & labour data for Canada
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3334 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.3231 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6552 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,234 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,715 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 26,798 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 26,814 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 53,612 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employers, total (% of total employment) in Canada?
- Employers, total (% of total employment) in Canada was 3.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2025.
- How does Canada rank for employers, total (% of total employment)?
- Canada ranks 98th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employers, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs" i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).