Minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers in Canada
Canada: Minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers was 42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
13th
of 23 countries
All-time high
49.08 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees
in 1975
All-time low
33.56 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees
in 1986
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers in Canada, 1965–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of average wage of full-time employees.
Analysis
The most recent figure for minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers in Canada is 42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 11.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers in Canada peaked at 49.08 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees in 1975 and was at its lowest, 33.56 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees, in 1986.
Canada ranks 13th of 23 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 61 years of available data.
Minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers in Canada, year by year
| Year | Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 45.59 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | — |
| 1966 | 43.78 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -4.0% |
| 1967 | 44.16 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 43.37 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 46.3 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +6.7% |
| 1970 | 46.05 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 47.63 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 46.49 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 47.71 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 49.05 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 49.08 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 48.92 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 46.43 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -5.1% |
| 1978 | 44.85 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 43.31 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -3.4% |
| 1980 | 41.01 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -5.3% |
| 1981 | 39.89 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 37.51 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -6.0% |
| 1983 | 34.03 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -9.3% |
| 1984 | 33.98 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 33.82 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 33.56 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 34.14 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 34.53 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 34.73 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 35.01 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 34.97 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 36.46 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 37.28 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 38.01 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 38.74 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 38.84 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 39 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 38.78 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 38.51 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 37.64 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 36.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 36.33 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 36.02 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 35.87 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 35.93 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 35.45 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 35.11 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 35.9 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 36.73 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 37.92 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 38.35 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 38.62 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 38.38 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 38.65 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 38.7 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 38.99 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 39.71 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 43.86 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +10.4% |
| 2019 | 44.27 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 42.98 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 43 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 43.05 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 43.13 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 43.16 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | -0.5% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees is above the median for high income countries, which is 42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees, 1.0× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 44.64 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 43.37 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 46.3 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 5 |
| 1970s | 46.95 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 43.31 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 49.08 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 10 |
| 1980s | 35.72 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 33.56 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 41.01 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 10 |
| 1990s | 37.56 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 34.97 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 39 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.19 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 35.11 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 37.64 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.74 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 37.92 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 44.27 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.05 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 43.16 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 10 Chile 44.83 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees compare
- 11 Romania 44.18 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees compare
- 12 Germany 43.95 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees compare
- 14 Belgium 42.94 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees compare
- 15 Portugal 42.64 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees compare
- 16 Japan 40.38 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees compare
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 minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers in Canada?
- Minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers in Canada was 42.96 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 49.08 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees in 1975.
- What is the lowest minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.56 Percentage of average wage of full-time employees in 1986.
- How does Canada rank for minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers?
- Canada ranks 13th out of 23 countries with data for 2025.
- Is minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Minimum relative to average wages of full-time workers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
For cross-country comparisons, data on minimum wage levels are further supplemented with another measure of minimum wages relative to average wages, that is, the ratio of minimum wages to median earnings of full-time employees. Median rather than mean earnings provide a better basis for international comparisons as it accounts for differences in earnings dispersion across countries. However, while median of basic earnings of full-time workers - i.e. excluding overtime and bonus payments - are ideally, the preferred measure of average wages for international comparisons of minimum-to-median earnings, they are not available for a large number of countries. Minimum relative to mean earnings of full-time workers are also provided.