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The Canadian Labour Market at a Glance
Average hours usually worked
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Men usually work longer hours than women
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On average, women usually worked fewer weekly hours than men at their main job (33.2 versus 39.5 hours in 2007). Although all age groups follow this trend, the gap between men's and women's hours was higher for older people.
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For example, in 2007, young men aged 15 to 24 worked five hours longer at their main job each week, on average, than their female counterparts (31.1 versus 26.0 hours). There was an 8-hour gap in the usual weekly hours of men and women aged 65 and over (33.6 and 25.5 hours, respectively, in 2007). Among adult workers (aged 25 to 54), the gap was slightly more than six hours.
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Usual weekly hours have declined for all age groups over the past three decades, but the drop has been most pronounced among youth aged 15 to 24. In 1976, youth worked, on average, 35.0 hours in a usual work week. By 2007, their hours were down to 28.5. This decline may be associated with rising secondary and postsecondary enrolment in the 1980s and 1990s, resulting in more youth working part time while attending school, as opposed to leaving school and immediately starting full-time work.
Chart H.1
Average hours usually worked per week,
by sex and age, 2007
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, CANSIM table 282-0028.
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