The rapid ascent of the ageing workforce

The average age of a ‘new hire’ is now 42 years old

IT’S ROUGH OUT there for younger workers. All last year we heard a constant drum beat about the end of the entry-level position, the breaking of the career ladder and the jobs apocalypse for new grads. So, this data point isn’t all that surprising: the average age of a new hire is now 42 years old. 

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The data comes courtesy of Revelio Labs, which tracked the average age of workers starting new positions, pointing out that it has “risen sharply since 2022, as older workers re-enter or remain in the labour market, and younger workers face fewer entry opportunities.”

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Indeed, the whole curve is being shifted towards older workers. In 2025, the share of workers in new positions who are under 25 nosedived, while the share of workers in new positions over 65 has skyrocketed, dragging the average age of the workforce up overall.

“This is the opposite of what typically happens late in an expansion, when tight labour markets pull younger workers into new roles and lower the average age of hires,” said Revelio Labs. “Instead, the current cycle shows a labour market that remains active but is increasingly tilted toward experience.” 

Last week’s jobs report echoed the findings of Revelio Labs. Statistics Canada’s data found that, since 2022, the employment rate for every age group had dropped — except for workers aged 55 to 64, which had increased by around 1.5 per cent. 

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Whether looking at North American data or at Canada-specific data, the numbers tell a story that is clear as day, wrote Revelio Labs’ Lisa K. Simon.

“That pattern is mechanically consistent with two forces operating simultaneously: fewer young workers entering the labour market and fewer older workers exiting it,” Simon concluded. “Entry-level hiring has weakened across much of the economy, while older workers have become more willing to stay in the labour force or return after retirement.” Kieran Delamont