Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and in Canada
Canada: Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and was 1.41 million National currency in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and in Canada, 1981–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in National currency.
Analysis
Canada recorded 1.41 million National currency for quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 59.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in Canada peaked at 1.41 million National currency in 2025 and was at its lowest, 179,697 National currency, in 1981.
That places Canada 10th out of 26 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and in Canada, year by year
| Year | National currency | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 179,697 National currency | — |
| 1982 | 191,673 National currency | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 200,138 National currency | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 215,333 National currency | +7.6% |
| 1985 | 231,903 National currency | +7.7% |
| 1986 | 247,423 National currency | +6.7% |
| 1987 | 268,854 National currency | +8.7% |
| 1988 | 294,949 National currency | +9.7% |
| 1989 | 318,834 National currency | +8.1% |
| 1990 | 333,595 National currency | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 338,716 National currency | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 343,223 National currency | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 347,368 National currency | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 356,056 National currency | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 366,529 National currency | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 375,853 National currency | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 398,006 National currency | +5.9% |
| 1998 | 421,166 National currency | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 445,097 National currency | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 485,578 National currency | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 504,325 National currency | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 520,815 National currency | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 540,598 National currency | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 571,240 National currency | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 604,621 National currency | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 644,759 National currency | +6.6% |
| 2007 | 684,981 National currency | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 716,169 National currency | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 705,172 National currency | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 727,616 National currency | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 766,670 National currency | +5.4% |
| 2012 | 799,649 National currency | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 828,737 National currency | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 861,053 National currency | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 884,410 National currency | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 880,138 National currency | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 922,093 National currency | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 971,922 National currency | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 1.01 million National currency | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 1.00 million National currency | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 1.10 million National currency | +9.7% |
| 2022 | 1.20 million National currency | +9.5% |
| 2023 | 1.28 million National currency | +6.8% |
| 2024 | 1.36 million National currency | +6.0% |
| 2025 | 1.41 million National currency | +3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 238,756 National currency | 179,697 National currency | 318,834 National currency | 9 |
| 1990s | 372,561 National currency | 333,595 National currency | 445,097 National currency | 10 |
| 2000s | 597,826 National currency | 485,578 National currency | 716,169 National currency | 10 |
| 2010s | 865,705 National currency | 727,616 National currency | 1.01 million National currency | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.23 million National currency | 1.00 million National currency | 1.41 million National currency | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 7 Germany 2.03 million National currency compare
- 7 Slovenia 31,854 National currency compare
- 8 Latvia 18,389 National currency compare
- 8 Norway 1.86 million National currency compare
- 9 Estonia 15,850 National currency compare
- 9 Denmark 1.46 million National currency compare
- 11 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.23 million National currency compare
- 12 Australia 1.23 million National currency compare
- 13 France 1.13 million National currency compare
More economy & growth data for Canada
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.8812 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.66 Percent per annum (2029)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 4.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0542 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 3,016 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 4.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.219 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 12,201 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 6.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 0.3063 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in Canada?
- Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and in Canada was 1.41 million National currency in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 1.41 million National currency in 2025.
- What is the lowest quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 179,697 National currency in 1981.
- How does Canada rank for quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and?
- Canada ranks 10th out of 26 countries with data for 2025.
- Is quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — wages and rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Quarterly compensation of employees by economic activity — Wages and salaries. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This table presents compensation of employees by main economic activity following the high-level categories in the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC), Revision 4. The components of compensation of employees, wages and salaries and employers’ social contributions, are also broken down by main economic activity. Data is presented for each country in national currency as well as in euros for the European Union (27 countries) and the euro area (21 countries). In this table, the presentation is on a country-by-country basis. Users are recommended to select one country (or area) at a time in the ‘Reference area’ filter. These indicators were presented in the previous dissemination system in the QNA dataset. See User Guide on Quarterly National Accounts (QNA) in OECD Data Explorer: QNA User guide See QNA Calendar for information on advance release dates: QNA Calendar See QNA Changes for information on changes in methodology: QNA Changes See QNA TIPS for a better use of QNA data: QNA TIPS Explore also the GDP and non-financial accounts webpage: GDP and non-financial accounts webpage OECD statistics contact: STAT.Contact@oecd.org