Unemployed population — Unemployment in Canada
Canada: Unemployed population — Unemployment was 1,539 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployed population — Unemployment in Canada, 1955–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
Canada recorded 1,539 Persons for unemployed population — unemployment in 2025.
That represents a change of up 9.6% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployed population — unemployment in Canada peaked at 1,931 Persons in 2020 and was at its lowest, 197.08 Persons, in 1956.
That places Canada 13th out of 35 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 71 years of available data.
Unemployed population — Unemployment in Canada, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | 245.42 Persons | — |
| 1956 | 197.08 Persons | -19.7% |
| 1957 | 277.5 Persons | +40.8% |
| 1958 | 431.5 Persons | +55.5% |
| 1959 | 371.58 Persons | -13.9% |
| 1960 | 445.83 Persons | +20.0% |
| 1961 | 466.42 Persons | +4.6% |
| 1962 | 390.5 Persons | -16.3% |
| 1963 | 373.58 Persons | -4.3% |
| 1964 | 324.42 Persons | -13.2% |
| 1965 | 279.83 Persons | -13.7% |
| 1966 | 251.42 Persons | -10.2% |
| 1967 | 296 Persons | +17.7% |
| 1968 | 358 Persons | +20.9% |
| 1969 | 362.08 Persons | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 475.83 Persons | +31.4% |
| 1971 | 535.17 Persons | +12.5% |
| 1972 | 552.92 Persons | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 514.75 Persons | -6.9% |
| 1974 | 514.33 Persons | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 689.67 Persons | +34.1% |
| 1976 | 743.8 Persons | +7.8% |
| 1977 | 868.06 Persons | +16.7% |
| 1978 | 934.27 Persons | +7.6% |
| 1979 | 868.18 Persons | -7.1% |
| 1980 | 895.32 Persons | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 930.79 Persons | +4.0% |
| 1982 | 1,358 Persons | +45.9% |
| 1983 | 1,506 Persons | +10.9% |
| 1984 | 1,446 Persons | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 1,368 Persons | -5.4% |
| 1986 | 1,274 Persons | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 1,193 Persons | -6.4% |
| 1988 | 1,070 Persons | -10.3% |
| 1989 | 1,061 Persons | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 1,158 Persons | +9.2% |
| 1991 | 1,479 Persons | +27.7% |
| 1992 | 1,605 Persons | +8.5% |
| 1993 | 1,642 Persons | +2.3% |
| 1994 | 1,515 Persons | -7.8% |
| 1995 | 1,394 Persons | -8.0% |
| 1996 | 1,428 Persons | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 1,372 Persons | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 1,268 Persons | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 1,182 Persons | -6.8% |
| 2000 | 1,082 Persons | -8.5% |
| 2001 | 1,162 Persons | +7.4% |
| 2002 | 1,269 Persons | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 1,283 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 1,232 Persons | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 1,169 Persons | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 1,138 Persons | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 1,099 Persons | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 1,140 Persons | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 1,548 Persons | +35.9% |
| 2010 | 1,512 Persons | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 1,428 Persons | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 1,399 Persons | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 1,366 Persons | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 1,345 Persons | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 1,341 Persons | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 1,366 Persons | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 1,266 Persons | -7.4% |
| 2018 | 1,161 Persons | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 1,150 Persons | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 1,931 Persons | +67.9% |
| 2021 | 1,541 Persons | -20.2% |
| 2022 | 1,099 Persons | -28.7% |
| 2023 | 1,158 Persons | +5.4% |
| 2024 | 1,404 Persons | +21.2% |
| 2025 | 1,539 Persons | +9.6% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 1,539 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 338.16 Persons, 4.6× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployed population — Unemployment in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +67.9% | 1,150 Persons | 1,931 Persons |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 304.62 Persons | 197.08 Persons | 431.5 Persons | 5 |
| 1960s | 354.81 Persons | 251.42 Persons | 466.42 Persons | 10 |
| 1970s | 669.7 Persons | 475.83 Persons | 934.27 Persons | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,210 Persons | 895.32 Persons | 1,506 Persons | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,404 Persons | 1,158 Persons | 1,642 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,212 Persons | 1,082 Persons | 1,548 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,333 Persons | 1,150 Persons | 1,512 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,445 Persons | 1,099 Persons | 1,931 Persons | 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 unemployed population — unemployment in Canada?
- Unemployed population — unemployment in Canada was 1,539 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 1,931 Persons in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 197.08 Persons in 1956.
- How does Canada rank for unemployed population — unemployment?
- Canada ranks 13th out of 35 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployed population — unemployment rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Unemployed population — Unemployment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 71 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the unemployed population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the unemployed population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. Chile, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom publish Labour Force Survey (LFS) data using a rolling quarter methodology. The OECD treats the middle month of the rolling quarter as the reference month. As a result, the publication of monthly LFS data for these countries may be delayed by one month or more relative to the OECD reference month. The unemployed are persons in their working age who, in the reference period, do not have a job; are available for work; and, have taken specific steps to find a job. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.