Number of People Employed in Federal Government in Canada (2001-2024)

Employment within Canada’s federal government public administration has demonstrated significant fluctuation between 2001 and 2024. This period reflects changes driven by policy shifts, economic conditions, and public sector modernization efforts.

Key Trends in Federal Public Administration Employment

• Overall Increase: Employment grew from 252,107 employees in 2001 to 386,502 in 2024, representing a 53% increase over 23 years.
• Periods of Decline: The workforce saw notable contractions in 2012 and 2013, with -4% declines each year, reflecting austerity measures and public sector cutbacks.
• Strong Recovery: Employment levels rebounded from 2016 onward, notably reaching 350,578 in 2021, a 9% jump, potentially due to expanded government programs and pandemic-related administration efforts.
• Recent Growth: From 2022 to 2024, steady growth between 2-4% annually pushed the workforce to an all-time high of 386,502 employees in 2024.

Number of People Employed in Federal Government in Canada (2001-2024)

Year	Total Employees in Federal government public administration	Growth YoY
2001	252,107
2002	260,817	3%
2003	265,647	2%
2004	264,925	0%
2005	267,262	1%
2006	280,745	5%
2007	281,578	0%
2008	292,273	4%
2009	292,422	0%
2010	295,645	1%
2011	300,692	2%
2012	287,753	-4%
2013	276,538	-4%
2014	275,162	0%
2015	276,367	0%
2016	285,343	3%
2017	288,108	1%
2018	300,008	4%
2019	311,696	4%
2020	320,846	3%
2021	350,578	9%
2022	362,899	4%
2023	370,368	2%
2024	386,502	4%

Source:

Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0202-01  Employment by industry, annual