Unemployment with basic education in Canada
Canada: Unemployment with basic education was 15.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment with basic education in Canada, 1990–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with basic education.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment with basic education in Canada stood at 15.1%.
The figure is up 10.0% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in Canada peaked at 17.5% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2022.
Canada ranks 15th of 128 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.3% | 12.2% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.2% | 12.0% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.0% | 11.5% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 11.3% | 17.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More work & labour data for Canada
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 60.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 80.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 83.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 76.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 63.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 68.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 63.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 62.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with basic education in Canada?
- Unemployment with basic education in Canada was 15.1% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 17.5% in 1992.
- What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2022.
- How does Canada rank for unemployment with basic education?
- Canada ranks 15th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).