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.
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.
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.
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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