Women’s full-time employment in Canada, 2007 to 2021

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Release date: September 26, 2022
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Infographic: Women’s full-time employment in Canada, 2007 to 2021
Description: Women’s full-time employment in Canada, 2007 to 2021

In 2021, 68% of women aged 20 to 54 were employed full time, up from 65% in 2007.

From 2007 to 2021, full-time employment increased among many groups of women, but not among immigrant women who arrived in Canada more than 10 years ago.


Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1 2007, 2021 and Change in percentage points (appearing as column headers).
2007 2021 Change in percentage points
Canadian-born (excluding Indigenous) 66% 70% +4
Indigenous 54% 59% +5
Recent immigrants 54% 59% +5
Long-term immigrantsTable 1 Note 1 66% 65% -1

Immigrant women with a bachelor's degree or higher were much less likely to be employed full time than their Canadian-born counterparts.

  • Canadian-born (excluding Indigenous): 80%
  • Indigenous: 79%
  • Recent immigrants: 62%
  • Long-term immigrants: 73%

For immigrant women with a bachelor’s degree or higher, full-time employment was more common when the degree was earned in Canada.


Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2 Educated in Canada and Educated outside Canada (appearing as column headers).
Educated in Canada Educated outside Canada
Recent immigrants 75% 59%
Long-term immigrants 79% 66%

MarriageNote 2 and motherhood are associated with lower full-time employment among immigrant women, but not among Indigenous women and non-Indigenous Canadian-born women.


Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3 Canadian-born (excluding Indigenous), Indigenous, Recent immigrants and Long-term immigrants (appearing as column headers).
Canadian-born (excluding Indigenous) Indigenous Recent immigrants Long-term immigrants
Not in a couple and no children under 18 years 68% 54% 71% 73%
Couple with no children under 18 years 77% 70% 64% 65%
Couple with children aged 1 to 5 years 64% 46% 45% 56%
Lone mother with children under 12 years 64% 49% 58% 60%

Source: Drolet, M. 2022. “Unmasking differences in women’s full-time employment.” Insights on Canadian Society. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 75-006-X.

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2022

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