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.
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
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 68.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 60.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 80.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 83.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 76.7% (2025)
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).