First large-scale national survey on neurodivergence1
The cost of underutilizing neurodivergent talent
Main findings
Neurodivergence represents a large and increasingly visible share of Canada’s workforce.
An estimated 14.5% of Canadian adults, or approximately 5 million people, identify as neurodivergent.
Younger Canadians report even higher rates of self-identification, with 26.3% of adults ages 18 to 24 identifying as neurodivergent.
These findings suggest that neurodivergence will play an increasingly important role in workforce planning as younger generations move through the labour market.
Our commissioned research study conducted by Signal49 Research, involving 17,036 Canadian adults, provides one of the first population-based estimates of neurodivergence in Canada. The data shows that neurodivergence intersects with other equity-deserving identities and experiences. Indigenous people, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, gender-diverse individuals, and people with disabilities reported higher rates of neurodivergence, highlighting the need for inclusion strategies that recognize overlapping identities and barriers.
Traditional measures of neurodivergence often rely on formal diagnoses, which can underestimate its prevalence. To provide a more complete picture, this research examined both self-identified and formally diagnosed experiences of neurodivergence. The findings show that some people identify as neurodivergent without a formal diagnosis, while others report neurodivergent conditions without identifying as neurodivergent. Financial costs, lengthy wait times, limited access to specialists, and stigma can all limit access to diagnosis.
The findings reveal clear labour market disparities:
Neurodivergent people represent 15.5% of employed respondents, compared with 27.4% of respondents seeking employment and 33.0% of those outside the labour force.
Employment rates are lower among neurodivergent respondents (68.4%) than among neurotypical respondents (79.4%).
Neurodivergent adults report substantially higher rates of work limitations and are more likely to report that they cannot work.
At the same time, 59.5% of neurodivergent respondents report no work limitations.
Neurodivergent people represent 15.5% of employed respondents, compared with 27.4% of respondents seeking employment and 33.0% of those outside the labour force.
Employment rates are lower among neurodivergent respondents (68.4%) than among neurotypical respondents (79.4%).
Neurodivergent adults report substantially higher rates of work limitations and are more likely to report that they cannot work.
At the same time, 59.5% of neurodivergent respondents report no work limitations.
This indicates that many neurodivergent people can participate fully in the workforce when workplaces, roles, and supports align with their needs.
The data also highlights workplace factors that may contribute to the underutilization of neurodivergent talent. Research and workforce evidence point to barriers such as rigid job design, standardized expectations for communication and productivity, accommodation processes that rely on diagnosis and disclosure, fragmented support systems, and workplace cultures built around narrow definitions of professionalism. These factors can limit hiring, retention, career development, and advancement opportunities for neurodivergent employees.
These findings carry particular importance as employers face persistent labour shortages and productivity challenges. Greater neuroinclusion can strengthen workforce participation, improve alignment between skills and roles, and expand access to an underutilized talent pool. Neuroinclusive practices can also improve recruitment, retention, employee engagement, and organizational resilience by enabling people to contribute according to their strengths.
Economic modelling indicates that reducing barriers to participation and improving workplace inclusion could generate substantial benefits for individuals, employers, and the broader economy.
The model suggests that greater neuroinclusion could:
- Generate approximately $18 billion in additional annual GDP
- Support nearly 138,000 full-time jobs across Canada through direct, indirect and induced economic activity2
- Increase annual labour income earned by neurodivergent Canadians by more than $31.1 billion
- Generate an additional $8.8 billion in labour income across the economy
- Generate approximately $6.4 billion in additional tax revenue through increased economic activity
These estimates reflect modelled projections rather than guaranteed outcomes. However, they demonstrate the scale of the economic opportunity associated with increasing workforce participation and reducing barriers for neurodivergent Canadians.
Organizations may be better positioned to realize this opportunity if they move beyond accommodation models that depend primarily on disability disclosure and formal diagnosis. Employers can achieve stronger outcomes by focusing on functional workplace needs and embedding flexibility, clarity, and accessibility into everyday practices. Inclusive approaches to hiring, onboarding, job design, management, career development, and workplace support can help organizations attract, retain, and advance neurodivergent talent while creating a more effective and supportive work environment for everyone.
Strategic priorities
Organizations can strengthen workforce performance and inclusion by:
1
Designing work environments that support different cognitive, communication, and learning styles.
2
Expanding access to workplace supports without requiring formal diagnoses or disability disclosure.
3
Simplifying support processes and reducing administrative barriers.
4
Building greater structure, clarity, and flexibility into hiring, onboarding, performance management, and career development.
5
Adopting intersectional inclusion strategies that recognize the overlap between neurodivergence and other equity-deserving identities.
1. Signal49 Research. The Inclusion Gap: The Cost of Underutilizing Neurodivergent Talent in Canada’s Workforce. 2026
2. Direct: jobs and economic activity generated through the increased labour market participation of neurodivergent individuals; indirect: economic activity generated among suppliers and throughout the supply chain; induced: economic activity generated when individuals and businesses spend income earned as a result of this activity.
Source: Implan, https://implan.com/resources/blog/understanding-implan-effects/, 2020.
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