Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic) in Canada
Canada: Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic) was 15.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment with basic education in Canada, 1990–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with basic education.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment with basic education in Canada stood at 15.1%.
The figure is up 10.0% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in Canada peaked at 17.5% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2022.
Canada ranks 17th of 130 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic) in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 12.2% | — |
| 1991 | 15.4% | +25.6% |
| 1992 | 17.5% | +13.7% |
| 1993 | 17.1% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 16.3% | -4.6% |
| 1995 | 15.1% | -7.4% |
| 1996 | 15.6% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 15.8% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 14.6% | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 13.7% | -6.6% |
| 2000 | 12.5% | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 12.9% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 14.0% | +8.2% |
| 2003 | 13.7% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 13.5% | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 12.5% | -7.5% |
| 2006 | 12.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 12.1% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 12.0% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 16.1% | +34.5% |
| 2010 | 16.2% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 15.1% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 14.6% | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 14.3% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 14.1% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 14.1% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 12.9% | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 11.8% | -8.5% |
| 2019 | 11.5% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 17.0% | +47.6% |
| 2021 | 14.5% | -14.6% |
| 2022 | 11.3% | -22.2% |
| 2023 | 11.7% | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 13.8% | +17.5% |
| 2025 | 15.1% | +10.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 15.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.0%, 1.9× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic) 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 | +47.6% | 11.5% | 17.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.3% | 12.2% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.2% | 12.0% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.0% | 11.5% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 11.3% | 17.0% | 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 unemployment with basic education in Canada?
- Unemployment with basic education in Canada was 15.1% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 17.5% in 1992.
- What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2022.
- How does Canada rank for unemployment with basic education?
- Canada ranks 17th out of 130 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).