Tuesday, March 23, 2004

SPOTLIGHT: Working women

Canada’s women workers outpace other countries

Canadian women made the greatest gains in labour force participation among six major industrialized nations during the past three decades, according to a new study.

In 1971, only 44% of Canadian women were in the workforce, the lowest proportion among the six countries. By 2001, however, this proportion had soared to a record 71%, the same level as that in the United States.

Only Sweden had a higher proportion, 76%. Canadian women were ahead of their counterparts in the United Kingdom, Australia and France.

During the same period, the percentage of Canadian men who were working declined slightly from around 85% to 82%. Men aged 55 and over, many of whom took early retirement, accounted for most of the decline.

The increase in the proportion of working women was well known. What this study points out is the phenomenal increase in Canada compared with the other nations. This was likely a result of a number of factors. Women were better educated; many were looking for self-fulfillment; and many wanted to help their family maintain their standard of living.

Professional jobs

Most women were still holding traditionally female jobs, such as nurses, teachers and clerks, and those in sales and service. However, their presence in professional jobs has been rising.

For example, in 1987, women accounted for 44% of doctors and dentists. By 2002, only 15 years later, this had jumped to 54%.

Women accounted for only 17% of managers in 1972. Three decades later, this proportion had doubled to 35%. Women essentially doubled their representation in agriculture and manufacturing jobs during the same period.

In all six countries, employed women are still substantially more likely than employed men to work part-time.

Earnings gap with men

The gap between the earnings of men and women has narrowed over time, the result of an increase in women’s earnings and a slight decline in men’s. However, the earnings ratio in Canada is among the lowest of the six countries, as it was in the mid-1970s.

In 2000, Canadian women employed full-time earned 72 cents for every dollar earned by men, up from 59 cents in 1976. The earnings ratio was highest in Australia and France, where women earned 82 cents for every dollar earned by men.

You can read the entire report “The feminization of work” in the Spring 2004 edition of Canadian Social Trends.

For more information, contact Colin Lindsay (613-951-2603), Housing, Family and Social Statistics Division.

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© 2004, Statistics Canada.