Children out of school, primary in Canada

Canada: Children out of school, primary was 127,666 in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
127,666
Change on year
down 3.8%
World rank
54th
of 197 countries
All-time high
132,683
in 2022
All-time low
6,768
in 2015
Years of data
13
2000–2023

Children out of school, primary in Canada, 2000–2023

050.0k100.0k150.0k2000201120232000: 14.5k2012: 11.2k2013: 13.6k2014: 10.7k2015: 6.8k2016: 34.1k2017: 32.8k2018: 32.6k2019: 69.7k2020: 77.4k2021: 119.6k2022: 132.7k2023: 127.7k

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Analysis

In 2023, children out of school, primary in Canada stood at 127,666.

The figure is down 3.8% on the previous year and up 837.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, children out of school, primary in Canada peaked at 132,683 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6,768, in 2015.

That places Canada 54th out of 197 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Children out of school, primary in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Children out of school, primary in Canada, 2000 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2000 14,517 —
2012 11,171 -23.0%
2013 13,615 +21.9%
2014 10,728 -21.2%
2015 6,768 -36.9%
2016 34,118 +404.1%
2017 32,791 -3.9%
2018 32,648 -0.4%
2019 69,676 +113.4%
2020 77,439 +11.1%
2021 119,579 +54.4%
2022 132,683 +11.0%
2023 127,666 -3.8%

Canada compared with similar countries

  • Canada's 127,666 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,450, 37.0× the median. (74 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Children out of school, primary 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.

YearChange FromTo
2016 +404.1% 6,768 34,118

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 14,517 14,517 14,517 1
2010s 26,439 6,768 69,676 8
2020s 114,342 77,439 132,683 4

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 51 India 134,967 compare
  2. 52 Equatorial Guinea 128,846 compare
  3. 53 Kazakhstan 128,155 compare
  4. 55 Lesotho 124,175 compare
  5. 56 Paraguay 105,859 compare
  6. 57 Ecuador 86,090 compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More education data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is children out of school, primary in Canada?
Children out of school, primary in Canada was 127,666 in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest children out of school, primary recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 132,683 in 2022.
What is the lowest children out of school, primary recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 6,768 in 2015.
How does Canada rank for children out of school, primary?
Canada ranks 54th out of 197 countries with data for 2023.
Is children out of school, primary rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is up 837.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Children out of school, primary. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Children out of school, primary in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/children-out-of-school-primary/canada/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/children-out-of-school-primary/canada/">Children out of school, primary in Canada</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Children out of school, primary
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
202 places, 4,752 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Children out of school are the number of primary-school-age children not enrolled in primary or secondary school.