No. 9 - Decline in employment among men aged 55 to 64

One of the most dramatic labour force trends in Canada in the last several decades has been the decline in the workforce participation of men aged 55-64. Between 1976 and 1995, for example, the proportion of these men with jobs fell from 73% to 54%. The share of men aged 55-64 with jobs, however, has rebounded somewhat in the past few years, rising from 54% in 1995 to 58% in 2000.

In contrast to their male counterparts, the share of women aged 55-64 participating in the paid workforce has risen since the mid-1970s. In 2000, 39% of these women were part of the paid workforce, up from 30% in 1976. Women in this age range, however, are still considerably less likely than their male counterparts to be employed outside the home.

Percentage of men and women aged 55-64 employed, 1976-2000

Source: Statistics Canada