Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Canada
Canada: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 57.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Canada, 1976–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Canada is 57.1%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Canada peaked at 58.9% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 41.9%, in 1976.
Canada ranks 50th of 172 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 41.9% | — |
| 1977 | 42.3% | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 43.4% | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 45.1% | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 46.4% | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 47.7% | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 46.5% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 46.8% | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 47.7% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 49.1% | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 50.3% | +2.4% |
| 1987 | 51.3% | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 52.7% | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 53.6% | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 53.8% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 52.8% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 51.9% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 51.9% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 52.2% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 52.1% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 52.6% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 53.7% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 54.6% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 55.4% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 55.7% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 56.6% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 57.5% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 57.7% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 57.7% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 58.0% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 58.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 58.9% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 58.0% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 57.8% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 57.6% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 57.7% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 57.9% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 57.5% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 57.4% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 57.3% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 57.7% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 57.9% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 58.3% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 54.1% | -7.3% |
| 2021 | 56.6% | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 58.3% | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 58.4% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 57.6% | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 57.1% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 43.2% | 41.9% | 45.1% | 4 |
| 1980s | 49.2% | 46.4% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.7% | 51.5% | 54.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 57.4% | 55.4% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.7% | 57.3% | 58.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.0% | 54.1% | 58.4% | 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 female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Canada?
- Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Canada was 57.1% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 58.9% in 2008.
- What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.9% in 1976.
- How does Canada rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
- Canada ranks 50th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.