Canada — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Canada, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Canada was 64.52% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 67.27% in 2008. The lowest was 64.10% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.10% per year.
Canada ranks 69 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 37%. The median for North America is 64.52%, so Canada sits level with it. It peaked in 2008 and has fallen 4% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 2%.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 53rd of 187 in 1990 → 66th of 187 in 2000 → 52nd of 187 in 2010 → 60th of 187 in 2020 → 68th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64.52% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 64.74% | -0.6 pp |
| 2023 | 65.36% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 65.25% | +0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 65.19% | +1.1 pp |
| 2020 | 64.1% | -1.7 pp |
| 2019 | 65.81% | +0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 65.55% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 65.79% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 65.64% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 65.89% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 66.02% | -0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 66.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 66.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 66.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 66.73% | -0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 66.95% | -0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 67.27% | +0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 67.11% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 66.83% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 66.73% | -0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 67.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 67.11% | +0.7 pp |
| 2002 | 66.39% | +1.0 pp |
| 2001 | 65.41% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 65.29% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 65.07% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 64.67% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 64.42% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 64.22% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 64.4% | -0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 64.75% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 64.94% | -0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 65.3% | -0.9 pp |
| 1991 | 66.23% | -0.5 pp |
| 1990 | 66.76% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Canada’s Labor participation in 1991?
66.23% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Canada’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -3.4% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 64.52%; 2024: 64.74%; 2023: 65.36%; 2022: 65.25%; 2021: 65.19%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.