Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Working-Age Population Total: From 15 to 64 Years for Canada (LFWA64TTCAM647S) from Jan 1976 to May 2025 about working-age, 15 to 64 years, Canada, and population.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment), unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by province, gender and age group. Data are presented for 12 months earlier, previous month and current month, as well as year-over-year and month-to-month level change and percentage change. Data are also available for the standard error of the estimate, the standard error of the month-to-month change and the standard error of the year-over-year change.

Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data was reported at 29.628 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 28.912 % for 2022. Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data is updated yearly, averaging 16.946 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.628 % in 2023 and a record low of 12.743 % in 1971. Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Old data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;

Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: % of Total Working-age Population data was reported at 42.867 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 42.794 % for 2022. Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: % of Total Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 50.924 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58.890 % in 1990 and a record low of 42.055 % in 2020. Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: % of Total Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).;International Labour Organization. “Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data was reported at 53.052 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 52.645 % for 2022. Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 47.700 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 71.166 % in 1962 and a record low of 43.973 % in 2007. Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.;Weighted average;Relevance to gender indicator: this indicator implies the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. Many times single or widowed women who are the sole caregiver of a household have a high dependency ratio.

Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data was reported at 23.682 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 23.822 % for 2022. Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data is updated yearly, averaging 30.454 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58.088 % in 1962 and a record low of 23.682 % in 2023. Canada CA: Age Dependency Ratio: % of Working-Age Population: Young data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.;World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.;Weighted average;

Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) in Canada was reported at 30.42 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data was reported at 49.003 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 48.507 % for 2022. Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 59.075 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 69.928 % in 1990 and a record low of 48.507 % in 2022. Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).;International Labour Organization. “Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data was reported at 35.792 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 36.324 % for 2022. Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 41.515 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.077 % in 1990 and a record low of 34.711 % in 2020. Canada CA: Labour Force With Basic Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).;International Labour Organization. “Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

Canada CA: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data was reported at 71.041 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 70.878 % for 2022. Canada CA: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 74.232 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 75.457 % in 1991 and a record low of 70.168 % in 2020. Canada CA: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Female: % of Female Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The ratio of the labor force with advanced education to the working-age population with advanced education. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).;International Labour Organization. “Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

Estimated number of persons on July 1, by 5-year age groups and gender, and median age, for Canada, provinces and territories.

Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population) in Canada was reported at 23.22 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2023, there were about 5.81 million males and 5.56 million females between the ages of 25 and 44 living in Canada, which was the most out of any age group. The next largest age group was between the ages of 45 and 64, with 5.01 million males and 5.11 million females.

Canadian demographics

The average age of the Canadian resident population was about 40.6 years in 2023, with Newfoundland and Labrador having the oldest average population, and Nunavut having the youngest average population. Additionally, the majority of Canadians in 2022, both males and females, are single. The next largest group of Canadians are married, and not separated.

Immigration to Canada

Much like the United States, Canada is an immigrant nation, and many of its residents have immigrant backgrounds. Additionally, immigration to Canada has been steadily increasing since 2000, making the country a diverse melting pot for people of all backgrounds.

In 2022, around 1.7 million persons between the ages of 20 and 24 years old were employed in Canada. A further 2.3 million people between the ages of 30 and 34 years old were employed nationwide in that year.

Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population) in Canada was reported at 53.64 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

This service shows the ratio of persons aged 0 to 14 and 65 and over (children and seniors) versus persons aged 15 to 64 (working-age) by census subdivision. The data is a custom extraction from the 2016 Census - 100% data. This data pertains to the total population by age. 'Age' refers to the age at last birthday before the reference date, that is, before May 10, 2016. For additional information refer to 'Age' in the 2016 Census Dictionary. For additional information refer to 'Age' in the 2016 Census Dictionary. To have a cartographic representation of the ecumene with this socio-economic indicator, it is recommended to add as the first layer, the “NRCan - 2016 population ecumene by census subdivision” web service, accessible in the data resources section below.

Canada CA: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data was reported at 76.181 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 76.235 % for 2022. Canada CA: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 81.277 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 87.057 % in 1990 and a record low of 76.060 % in 2020. Canada CA: Labour Force With Advanced Education: Male: % of Male Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The ratio of the labor force with advanced education to the working-age population with advanced education. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).;International Labour Organization. “Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

Canada CA: Labour Force With Intermediate Education: % of Total Working-age Population data was reported at 60.933 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 61.102 % for 2022. Canada CA: Labour Force With Intermediate Education: % of Total Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 69.570 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 73.683 % in 1990 and a record low of 60.227 % in 2020. Canada CA: Labour Force With Intermediate Education: % of Total Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. The ratio of the labor force with intermediate education to the working-age population with intermediate education. Intermediate education comprises upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).;International Labour Organization. “Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;

Canada CA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15+ data was reported at 62.060 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 61.982 % for 2022. Canada CA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 61.210 % from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2023, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 63.349 % in 2008 and a record low of 56.879 % in 1977. Canada CA: Employment To Population Ratio: National Estimate: Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Employment and Unemployment. Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Employment is defined as persons of working age who, during a short reference period, were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period (i.e. who worked in a job for at least one hour) or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangements. Ages 15 and older are generally considered the working-age population.;International Labour Organization. “Labour Force Statistics database (LFS)” ILOSTAT. Accessed January 07, 2025. https://ilostat.ilo.org/data/.;Weighted average;The series for ILO estimates is also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

Labor force with advanced education (% of total working-age population with advanced education) in Canada was reported at 73.52 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Canada - Labor force with advanced education (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.