Employment in Canada
Canada: Employment was 21,029 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
21,029
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
28th
of 174 countries
All-time high
21,029
in 2025
All-time low
7,693
in 1969
Years of data
57
1969–2025
Employment in Canada, 1969–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in Canada is 21,029, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 57 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in Canada peaked at 21,029 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7,693, in 1969.
Canada ranks 28th of 174 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 57 years of available data.
Employment in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 7,693 | — |
| 1970 | 7,778 | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 7,958 | +2.3% |
| 1972 | 8,191 | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 8,598 | +5.0% |
| 1974 | 8,951 | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 9,284 | +3.7% |
| 1976 | 9,747 | +5.0% |
| 1977 | 9,917 | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 10,220 | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 10,669 | +4.4% |
| 1980 | 10,984 | +3.0% |
| 1981 | 11,305 | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 10,944 | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 11,022 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 11,302 | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 11,658 | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 12,008 | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 12,333 | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 12,710 | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 12,996 | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 13,086 | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 12,857 | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 12,731 | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 12,793 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 13,059 | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 13,295 | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 13,420 | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 13,708 | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 14,047 | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 14,402 | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 14,760 | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 14,932 | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 15,291 | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 15,661 | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 15,915 | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 16,124 | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 16,414 | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 16,757 | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 16,997 | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 16,756 | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 16,978 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 17,220 | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 17,432 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 17,668 | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 17,738 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 17,857 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 17,967 | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 18,372 | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 18,707 | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 19,071 | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 18,068 | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 18,964 | +5.0% |
| 2022 | 19,740 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 20,335 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 20,730 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 21,029 | +1.4% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 21,029 is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,235, 9.4× the median. (72 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7,693 | 7,693 | 7,693 | 1 |
| 1970s | 9,131 | 7,778 | 10,669 | 10 |
| 1980s | 11,726 | 10,944 | 12,996 | 10 |
| 1990s | 13,340 | 12,731 | 14,402 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15,961 | 14,760 | 16,997 | 10 |
| 2010s | 17,901 | 16,978 | 19,071 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19,811 | 18,068 | 21,029 | 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 employment in Canada?
- Employment in Canada was 21,029 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 21,029 in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,693 in 1969.
- How does Canada rank for employment?
- Canada ranks 28th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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