Canadian seniors are increasingly delaying retirement, with the labour force participation rate for those aged 65 and older reaching an all-time high of 15.2% in 2025, according to Statistics Canada. This represents nearly 1.2 million seniors either employed or seeking work, accounting for over 5% of the total workforce. The trend reflects both choice and necessity, as a growing number of seniors work to make ends meet.
Record Participation Amidst Rising Senior Population
The participation rate has climbed steadily from just 6% in 1999, dipping during the COVID-19 pandemic before rebounding above pre-pandemic levels. The senior population itself has swelled, with almost 20% of Canadians aged 65 or older in 2025, a share expected to approach 25% in the 2030s. However, the increase in workforce participation outpaces demographic growth, indicating a shift in retirement behaviour.
Multiple Jobs and Changing Retirement Age
Statistics Canada reports that 43,500 seniors held multiple jobs in 2025. The average retirement age has also risen, reaching a record high of 65.4 years last year, up from a low of 60.9 years in 1997. Public sector workers retire earlier on average (62.6 years), while private sector employees retire at 66 years and the self-employed at 68.4 years.
Necessity Driving Many Seniors
For nearly half of working seniors, employment is a financial necessity. Over 600,000 Canadian seniors live below the poverty line. A report by the Montreal Economic Institute highlights that Ottawa's policies penalize seniors who work. Those relying on Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) face a 50-cent reduction in GIS benefits for every dollar earned above $5,000. Employment among GIS recipients surged 56% between 2014 and 2022.
Jason Dean, associate researcher at the MEI, argues: "A growing number of seniors are working to make ends meet; the very least Ottawa could do is not punish them for doing so."
