Labor force with basic education in Canada
Canada: Labor force with basic education was 40.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force with basic education in Canada, 1990–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.
Analysis
Canada recorded 40.6% for labor force with basic education in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in Canada peaked at 58.9% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 40.6%, in 2025.
That places Canada 85th out of 125 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force with basic education in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of total working-age population with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 58.9% | — |
| 1991 | 57.1% | -3.1% |
| 1992 | 55.1% | -3.5% |
| 1993 | 53.7% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 53.8% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 52.5% | -2.3% |
| 1996 | 51.4% | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 50.7% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 51.5% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 51.7% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 51.1% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 52.1% | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 52.8% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 51.8% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 50.8% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 51.6% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 52.0% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 49.5% | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 48.4% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 48.0% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 47.2% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 46.9% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 46.0% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 45.4% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 44.8% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 45.0% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 44.4% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 44.5% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 42.1% | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 42.7% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 42.8% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 42.9% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 41.1% | -4.1% |
| 2025 | 40.6% | -1.2% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 40.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 41.5%, 98% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 53.6% | 50.7% | 58.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.5% | 49.5% | 52.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.1% | 44.4% | 48.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.0% | 40.6% | 42.9% | 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 labor force with basic education in Canada?
- Labor force with basic education in Canada was 40.6% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with basic education recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 58.9% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.6% in 2025.
- How does Canada rank for labor force with basic education?
- Canada ranks 85th out of 125 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).