Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Canada
Canada: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 87.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Canada, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Canada is 87.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Canada peaked at 87.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 76.2%, in 1990.
That places Canada 42nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 76.2% | — |
| 1991 | 77.2% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 77.9% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 78.6% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 78.9% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 79.2% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 80.2% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 80.6% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 81.3% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 81.8% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 82.6% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 83.5% | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 83.9% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 83.9% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 84.4% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 85.1% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 85.0% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 85.7% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 86.2% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 86.0% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 86.3% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 86.6% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 86.2% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 85.9% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 86.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 86.5% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 86.8% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 86.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 86.1% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 86.8% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 87.8% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 87.7% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 87.3% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 87.3% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 78.4% | 76.2% | 80.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 83.7% | 81.3% | 85.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.4% | 85.9% | 86.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.2% | 86.1% | 87.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 39 Kenya 87.7% compare
- 40 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 87.4% compare
- 41 Estonia 87.3% compare
- 43 Netherlands 87.2% compare
- 44 Switzerland 87.2% compare
- 45 Lao People's Democratic Republic 87.2% 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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Canada?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Canada was 87.3% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 87.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.2% in 1990.
- How does Canada rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Canada ranks 42nd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).