Youth unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Canada
Canada: Youth unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 642.16 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Youth unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Canada, 1976–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Canada stood at 642.16.
The figure is up 8.5% on the previous year and up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Canada peaked at 843.42 in 1983 and was at its lowest, 423, in 2022.
That places Canada 16th out of 94 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Youth unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 467.62 | — |
| 1977 | 534.47 | +14.3% |
| 1978 | 563.49 | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 532.32 | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 546.28 | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 564.21 | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 788.28 | +39.7% |
| 1983 | 843.42 | +7.0% |
| 1984 | 778.39 | -7.7% |
| 1985 | 709.89 | -8.8% |
| 1986 | 665.47 | -6.3% |
| 1987 | 590.88 | -11.2% |
| 1988 | 515.84 | -12.7% |
| 1989 | 492.81 | -4.5% |
| 1990 | 535.26 | +8.6% |
| 1991 | 673.32 | +25.8% |
| 1992 | 694.33 | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 675.59 | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 607.9 | -10.0% |
| 1995 | 552.29 | -9.1% |
| 1996 | 557.77 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 560.57 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 521.94 | -6.9% |
| 1999 | 488.34 | -6.4% |
| 2000 | 450.93 | -7.7% |
| 2001 | 471.93 | +4.7% |
| 2002 | 516.73 | +9.5% |
| 2003 | 518.33 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 519.52 | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 474.77 | -8.6% |
| 2006 | 454.26 | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 449.15 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 458.67 | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 607.52 | +32.5% |
| 2010 | 595.88 | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 568.29 | -4.6% |
| 2012 | 559.46 | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 538.13 | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 535.96 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 518.82 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 515.58 | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 475.56 | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 437.94 | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 450.49 | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 800.77 | +77.8% |
| 2021 | 563.16 | -29.7% |
| 2022 | 423 | -24.9% |
| 2023 | 470.11 | +11.1% |
| 2024 | 592.08 | +25.9% |
| 2025 | 642.16 | +8.5% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 642.16 is above the median for high income countries, which is 84.37, 7.6× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Youth unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) 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 | +77.8% | 450.49 | 800.77 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 524.48 | 467.62 | 563.49 | 4 |
| 1980s | 649.55 | 492.81 | 843.42 | 10 |
| 1990s | 586.73 | 488.34 | 694.33 | 10 |
| 2000s | 492.18 | 449.15 | 607.52 | 10 |
| 2010s | 519.61 | 437.94 | 595.88 | 10 |
| 2020s | 581.88 | 423 | 800.77 | 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 youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Canada?
- Youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Canada was 642.16 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 843.42 in 1983.
- What is the lowest youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 423 in 2022.
- How does Canada rank for youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
- Canada ranks 16th out of 94 countries with data for 2025.
- Is youth unemployment (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Youth unemployment (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15-29). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Youth Labour Market Indicators (YouthSTATS) database description.