Hours usually worked

Men usually work longer hours than women

• On average, women usually work fewer weekly hours than men at their main job (33 versus 39 hours in 2003). Although all age groups follow this trend, the gap between men's and women's hours increases with age.
• For example, in 2003, young men aged 15 to 24 years worked five hours longer at their main job each week, on average, than their female counterparts (31 versus 26 hours). There was a 10-hour gap in the usual weekly hours of men and women aged 65 and over (34 and 24, respectively, in 2003). Among adult workers (aged 25 to 54), the gap was slightly less than seven hours.
• Usual weekly hours for young men and women aged 15 to 24 years have been decreasing since 1976, when both sexes combined were working an average, usual workweek of 35 hours. By 2003, their hours were down to 28. This decline may be associated with rising postsecondary enrolment in the 1980s and 1990s, resulting in more youth working part time while attending school, as opposed to working full time immediately following high school graduation.

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