Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Canada
Canada: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 9.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Canada, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Canada recorded 9.6% for share of workers in vulnerable employment in 2025.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Canada peaked at 11.4% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 1991.
Canada ranks 153rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.3% | — |
| 1992 | 8.7% | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 9.3% | +6.3% |
| 1994 | 9.4% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 9.5% | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 10.1% | +7.0% |
| 1997 | 11.1% | +10.0% |
| 1998 | 11.4% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 11.2% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 10.6% | -5.5% |
| 2001 | 10.0% | -5.7% |
| 2002 | 10.1% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 10.2% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 10.2% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 10.2% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 10.4% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 10.4% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 10.9% | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 10.6% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 10.6% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 10.5% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 10.5% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 10.5% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 10.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 10.6% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 10.6% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 11.0% | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 10.1% | -8.3% |
| 2022 | 9.8% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 9.5% | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 9.6% | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 9.6% | -0.7% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 9.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.9% | 8.3% | 11.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 10.3% | 10.0% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 9.5% | 11.0% | 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 share of workers in vulnerable employment in Canada?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Canada was 9.6% 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 share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 11.4% in 1998.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 1991.
- How does Canada rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Canada ranks 153rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).