Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Canada
Canada: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 47.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Canada, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in Canada stood at 47.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Canada peaked at 47.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 44.1%, in 1990.
That places Canada 57th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 44.1% | — |
| 1991 | 44.4% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 44.6% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 44.7% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 44.8% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 45.0% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 45.1% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 45.2% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 45.4% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 45.6% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 45.7% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 45.9% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 46.1% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 46.3% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 46.5% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 46.4% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 46.6% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 46.8% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 46.8% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 47.0% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 47.1% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 47.0% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 47.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 47.1% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 47.0% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 46.9% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 47.0% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 47.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 47.1% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 47.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 46.9% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 47.0% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 47.3% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 47.3% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 47.2% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 47.2% | +0.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 47.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 46.5%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.9% | 44.1% | 45.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.4% | 45.7% | 47.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.0% | 46.9% | 47.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.2% | 46.9% | 47.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0607 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Canada?
- Labor force, female in Canada was 47.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 47.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.1% in 1990.
- How does Canada rank for labor force, female?
- Canada ranks 57th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.