Employment rates, by sex

Boosted by strong job growth, the employment rate rises to record levels

• In 2003, the proportion of the working-age population holding a job climbed to an all-time high of 62.4%, an increase of 5.2 percentage points from 1976. Employment increased for both men and women in 2003, with women enjoying stronger job growth. For the sixth straight year, the employment rate of women reached a new high, standing at 57.2% in 2003.
• In the past three decades, the employment rate for women has risen substantially while the rate for men has dropped well below that of the late 1970s. During this period, many changes occurred in Canadian society that facilitated women's increased presence in the work force. These changes include enhanced parental leave and higher levels of representation in many university degree programs.
• Despite the steadily increasing presence of women in the labour market, men remained more likely than women to be employed. The average employment rate among women, at 57.2% in 2003, was still notably lower than the rate for men (67.7%). Even so, the male-female employment rate gap was the smallest on record.

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