Portrait of youth in Canada: Employment

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Release date: July 26, 2021
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Infographic: Portrait of youth in Canada: Employment
Description: Portrait of youth in Canada: Employment

Portrait of youth in Canada: Employment

Young Canadians have had diverse labour market trajectories over the last four decades.

Percentage of youth aged 15 to 30 with a job, 1981 to 2019 (full-time students excluded) 

Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1 Men and Women, calculated using percentage units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Men Women
percentage
1981 83 66
2019 81 79

Median real hourly wages (in 2019 dollars) of full-time employees aged 17 to 34, 1981 to 2019 

Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2 Men and Women, calculated using dollars units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Men Women
dollars
1981 22.53 17.58
2019 23.00 21.45

Youth employment has become more precarious since the late 1980s.

Percentage of workers aged 15 to 30 in a permanent full-time job,Note 1 1989 to 2019 (students excluded) 

Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3 Men and Women, calculated using percentage units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Men Women
percentage
1989 81 77
2019 73 67

Compared with less educated youth, highly educated young individuals enjoy a triple advantage in the Canadian labour market: they are more likely to be employed, to have a permanent full-time job, and to have a higher wage.

Percentage of youth aged 25 to 30 with a job, 2019 (full-time students excluded)

  • Less than high school diploma: 59%
  • Bachelor’s degree: 90%

Percentage of young workers aged 25 to 30 with a permanent full-time paid job, 2019 (full-time students excluded)

  • Less than high school diploma: 70%
  • Bachelor’s degree: 74%

Average real hourly wages (in 2019 dollars) of full-time employees aged 25 to 30, 2019 (full-time students excluded)

  • Less than high school diploma: $21.53
  • Bachelor’s degree: $28.96

Sources: Morissette, René. 2021. “Youth employment in Canada.” Portrait of Youth in Canada: Data Report. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 42280001; Statistics Canada, Survey of Work History, 1981, General Social Survey, 1989, and Labour Force Survey, 1981 and 2019.

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2021

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

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