Labor force, total in Canada
Canada: Labor force, total was 22.85 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, total in Canada, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, total in Canada is 22.85 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, total in Canada peaked at 22.85 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.66 million, in 1990.
Canada ranks 32nd of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, total in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.66 million | — |
| 1991 | 14.72 million | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 14.69 million | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 14.78 million | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 14.92 million | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 15.02 million | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 15.17 million | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 15.41 million | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 15.65 million | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 15.92 million | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 16.19 million | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 16.45 million | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 16.94 million | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 17.34 million | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 17.55 million | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 17.71 million | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 17.98 million | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 18.29 million | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 18.58 million | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 18.75 million | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 18.93 million | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 19.11 million | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 19.33 million | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 19.55 million | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 19.59 million | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 19.71 million | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 19.86 million | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 20.16 million | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 20.39 million | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 20.80 million | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 20.51 million | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 21.01 million | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 21.46 million | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 22.17 million | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 22.68 million | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 22.85 million | +0.8% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 22.85 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.08 million, 7.4× the median. (62 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.09 million | 14.66 million | 15.92 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.58 million | 16.19 million | 18.75 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.74 million | 18.93 million | 20.80 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.78 million | 20.51 million | 22.85 million | 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, total in Canada?
- Labor force, total in Canada was 22.85 million in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, total recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 22.85 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, total recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.66 million in 1990.
- How does Canada rank for labor force, total?
- Canada ranks 32nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, total rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. 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, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.