Canada Average Salaries & Expenditures

 
Contents
Average Salary per Job   Average Salary per Sector   Consumption Expenditure   Workforce Composition
Vacation Time   Exchange Rates   Cost of Living   References
 

Average Salary in Canada - Job and Sector Comparison.

Job  Net Monthly Income  constant 2005 US$ (1) Notes                                                                               Gross Monthly Average Income (2) Compulsory Deductions (3) Weekly Hours (4)
 
Engineer average income PPP $ 2,967 $ 2,965 Power distribution and transmission engineer, 2005. 5,610 dollars 36% 31.5
Miner average income PPP $ 2,607 $ 2,605 Employees, 2005. 4,780 dollars 34% 42.1
Professor average income PPP $ 2,526 $ 2,524 Employees, 2005. 4,631 dollars 34% 36.6
Firefighter average income PPP $ 2,383 $ 2,381 Employees, 2005. 4,240 dollars 32% 35.2
Accountant average income PPP $ 2,354 $ 2,352 Employees, 2005. 4,188 dollars 32% 30.2
Wood Grinder average income PPP $ 2,338 $ 2,336 Employees, 2005. 4,100 dollars 31% 38.0
Teacher average income PPP $ 2,238 $ 2,236 Employees, 2005. 3,868 dollars 30% 31.1
Professional Nurse average income PPP $ 2,217 $ 2,216 Employees, 2005. 3,833 dollars 30% 31.7
Carpenter average income PPP $ 1,846 $ 1,844 Employees, 2005. 3,059 dollars 27% 34.1
Physiotherapist average income PPP $ 1,838 $ 1,836 Employees, 2005. 3,046 dollars 27% 33.0
Computer Programmer average income PPP $ 1,836 $ 1,834 Public administration, employees, 2005. 3,043 dollars 27% 26.3
Auxiliary Nurse average income PPP $ 1,706 $ 1,704 Employees, 2005. 2,752 dollars 25% 30.1
Office Clerk average income PPP $ 1,630 $ 1,525 Employees, 2004. 2,565 dollars 25% 31.2
Bus Driver average income PPP $ 1,595 $ 1,594 Employees, 2005. 2,573 dollars 25% 32.1
Car Mechanic average income PPP $ 1,548 $ 1,546 Employees, 2005. 2,497 dollars 25% 34.0
Postman average income PPP $ 1,546 $ 1,545 Employees, 2005. 2,494 dollars 25% 29.6
Furniture Finisher average income PPP $ 1,529 $ 1,430 Employees, 2004. 2,373 dollars 24% 35.6
Chambermaid average income PPP $ 1,442 $ 1,349 Employees, 2004. 2,210 dollars 23% 32.1
Hotel Receptionist average income PPP $ 1,369 $ 1,368 Employees, 2005. 2,151 dollars 23% 39.4
Baker average income PPP $ 1,335 $ 1,039 Employees, 2002. 1,953 dollars 23% 30.5
Garment Cutter average income PPP $ 1,299 $ 1,298 Cloth Weaver in the Spinning, Weaving, and Finishing Textiles industry. Employees, 2005. 2,041 dollars 23% 38.6
Salesperson average income PPP $ 1,204 $ 1,203 Employees, 2005. 1,867 dollars 22% 32.4
Sector              
Mining-Quarrying average income PPP $ 2,956 $ 2,953 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 5,677 dollars 37% 41.2
Gas-Electricity-Water average income PPP $ 2,479 $ 2,477 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 4,615 dollars 35% 39.3
Financial average income PPP $ 2,278 $ 2,276 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 4,053 dollars 32% 27.6
Manufacturing average income PPP $ 2,186 $ 2,185 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 3,834 dollars 31% 38.4
Construction average income PPP $ 2,176 $ 2,174 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 3,816 dollars 31% 38.6
Education average income PPP $ 2,048 $ 2,047 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 3,491 dollars 29% 32.5
Transport-Communication average income PPP $ 2,044 $ 2,043 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 3,484 dollars 29% 35.9
Real Estate average income PPP $ 1,940 $ 1,938 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. 3,306 dollars 29% 31.1
All Sectors average income PPP $ 1,878 $ 1,876 Employees, 2005. Incl. overtime. Excl. agriculture, fishing, and hunting. 3,156 dollars 28% 31.7
 
  (1) The net average income in "constant 2005 US$" is computed using the Interbank nominal exchange rate [a] and the U.S. inflation rate [d]. The net average income in "constant 2005 US$" at PPP is computed using the OECD PPP exchange rate for actual individual consumption [l] and the U.S. inflation rate [d]. The latter reflects the purchasing power in the United States in 2005.
  (2) The gross monthly average income is based on data supplied by Statistics Canada to the International Labour Organization [9]. The average income includes the salaries and wages of paid employees. Employees include both men and women unless otherwise noted.
  (3) The compulsory deductions are based on the Canada salary deductions calculator, with the average taken between the province of Quebec and the province of Ontario [t]. The deductions reflect the 2005 income tax rates in Canada and include the federal income tax, provincial/territorial income tax, social security (Canada pension plan, provincial pension plan, employment insurance), and other withholdings not included in the calculator. For the province of Quebec, these include family-plan medical insurance, family-plan dental insurance, pregnancy insurance, and fees for the Régie des Rentes du Québec; for the province of Ontario the extra withholdings are limited to super-annuation tax, death benefits, and disability insurance. The deductions are for a single-earner married couple without child, resulting in an additional federal tax-deductable amount of $ 7,344 for the non-working spouse. The deductions on the average wage are confirmed through the gross and net household income in Canada (28.6%) [5].
  (4) The weekly hours are based on data supplied by Statistics Canada to the International Labour Organization. The hours by sector correspond to the weekly hours of hourly paid employees, not to the average hours actually worked.
 
 

Consumption Expenditure

:
annual, per capita, incl. non-monetary expenditure
   Total   Health   Housing (1)  Food   Apparel   Education   Transport     
2005
15,094
18,264
  
575
696
  
5,613
6,792
  
2,271
2,748
  
823
996
  
387
468
  
2,886
3,492
  
constant 2005 US$ at PPP
current dollars
(1)    Incl. shelter (rent), household operations, household furnishings and equipment.
Source: Survey of Household Spending in Canada [5], 2005 (2.6 persons per household).
 

Workforce Composition

:
percentage of total workforce
   Primary (1)  Manufacturing   Education   Financial   Paid Employees   Unemployed  
2005 4.0   13.6   6.8   4.4   84.6   7.3  
%
(1)    Agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing, mining, and quarrying.
Source: International Labour Organization [9].
 

Workforce Size

 :  
16.2 million (2005).
Source:   International Labour Organization [9].
 

Population

 :  
33.1 million (2006).
Source:   CIA World Factbook [b].
 

Compulsory Deductions

 :  
23.5% for a single with no child, 12.3% for a single with two children, 19.8% for a one-earner married couple with no child, and 12.3% for a one-earner married couple with two children (including family benefits in terms of cash transfers).
Source:   OECD Tax Database, 2005, combined deductions on a gross monthly salary income of $ 3,362 including family allowances in terms of cash transfers [k]. Note: The OECD figures underestimate the deductions on the paycheck as they are limited to unemployment insurance, federal pension plan, and federal/provincial income tax. The other withholdings on the paycheck typically amount to 8% of the gross earnings.
 

Vacation Time

 :  
10 working days per year legally required minimum vacation time, as determined by provincial law [e]. According to a recent survey by the World Tourism Organization, 26 vacation days per year are taken on average in Canada [f].
 

Inflation

 :  
111.7 (2001), 114.2 (2002), 117.4 (2003), 119.7 (2004), 122.2 (2005);
Source:   IMF inflation rates [d], Index: 1995=100.
 

PPP Exchange Rate

 :  
1.212 (2000), 1.211 (2001), 1.222 (2002), 1.229 (2003), 1.215 (2004), 1.210 (2005), 1.199 (2006), 1.186 (2007), 1.164 (2008);
Source:   OECD PPP exchange rates for actual individual consumption [l], Canadian dollars per U.S. dollar.
 

Nominal Exchange Rate

 :  
1.484 (2000), 1.548 (2001), 1.570 (2002), 1.400 (2003), 1.299 (2004), 1.211 (2005);
Source:   Interbank nominal exchange rates [a], Canadian dollars per U.S. dollar.
 

Cost of Living

 :  
0.817 (2000), 0.773 (2001), 0.761 (2002), 0.866 (2003), 0.935 (2004), 1.006 (2005);
Source:   Interbank nominal exchange rates [a] and IMF PPP exchange rates [d], US=1.000.
 

 

References
 
[5]   Statistics Canada.
[9]   International Labour Organization. Compilation of average salary income worldwide. Classified by country, by employment category, and by gender.
[a]   Interbank nominal exchange rate, Oanda.com; historical currency converter for over 164 currencies and 3 metals.
[d]   World Economic Outlook Database, September 2006, International Monetary Fund.
[e]   Vacation - Wikipedia, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
[f]   World Tourism Organization, a United Nations agency; survey of vacation days worldwide, 2000.
[k]   OECD Tax Database. Annual database providing comparative information on personal and corporate income tax and consumption tax systems and rates in OECD countries since 2000. Information on social security contributions levied on employees and their employers is also reported.
[l]   OECD. PPP exchange rates for actual individual consumption.
[t]   Canada Salary Deductions Calculator, www.paycheckcity.com.
 
Other links:
Social Security in Canada, Social Security Programs Throughout the World, 2004-2005, compiled by the U.S. Social Security Administration.
Canada: Statistics, Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).
Canada: Selected Internet Resources, U.S. Library of Congress.
Canada Economy Overview, CIA World Factbook.
Income Taxes in Canada, Wikipedia.
Canatax, Online payroll deductions calculator.
Paid and Unpaid Work in Canada, Statistics Canada, General Social Survey, 2005.
Average Salary Income in Saskatchewan by Job Type, Saskatchewan JobFutures.
Survey of Household Spending, Statistics Canada, 2005.
Canadian Labour Market Information, wages per hour for different occupations in Canada by geographical area.