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August 06, 2021LABOUR FORCE SURVEY: VISIBLE MINORITIES, JULY 2021 Starting with July 2020, Statistics Canada has added a question to the Labour Force Survey asking respondents about whether they identify with visible minority populations. The population group categories of response are the same as those found in the 2016 Census: White, South Asian (e.g., East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan), Chinese, Black, Filipino, Arab, Latin American, Southeast Asian (e.g., Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Thai), West Asian (e.g., Iranian, Afghan), Korean, Other.
Labour force characteristics for Indigenous populations are reported separately in the Labour Force Survey.
This analysis will focus on conditions reported by respondents for July 2021 and year-over-year changes from July 2020. Results are not seasonally adjusted. Unless otherwise indicated, data refer to populations aged 15-69.
July 2021
Nationally, the unemployment rate of those who identify with a visible minority population (10.2%) was higher than the unemployment rate (6.5%) of those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population. Across all regions except Atlantic Canada, the unemployment rate for those who identify with a visible minority group was higher than for those who did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population. This gap was highest in Quebec and Alberta. In Atlantic Canada, the unemployment rate was 8.7% for those that identify with a visible minority group. This was 0.2 percentage points lower than those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
National participation rates were slightly higher for those who identify with a visible minority population (78.3%) than for those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population (75.7%). Participation rates of those who identify with a visible minority population were higher in all regions except Ontario. In Atlantic Canada, those who identify with a visible minority population reported an 80.5% participation rate, compared to a 73.1% participation rate for those that do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
Nationally, employment rates were lower for those who identified with visible minority populations (70.3%) than for those who did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population (70.8%). In Ontario and Alberta employment rates in the labour force were lower for visible minority populations than for those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population. Employment rates were higher for those who identify with visible minority populations in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia when compared against those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
Unemployment rates were higher across almost all visible minority populations than for those who did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population. The notable exception is among men who identify as South Asian. Unemployment rates were notably higher for Chinese and Arab women when compared against lower unemployment rates for women who do not identify as Indigenous or a visible minority. Men who identify as Filipino had the highest unemployment rate. (Some of the results have limited data quality and should be used with caution).
Labour force participation rates for those identifying with a visible minority was higher when compared those who do not identify as Indigenous or a visible minority in South Asian, Black, Filipino and Latin American groups. Participation rates among women were notably lower than among men for people who identified as South Asian, Chinese, and Arab.
Women in many visible minority populations had lower employment rates than men, particularly where lower participation rates and higher unemployment rates were observed. The exception was among those who identify as Filipino.
Unemployment rates are higher for all age cohorts of visible minority populations, when compared with those that do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
Participation rates of visible minority populations are higher for older workers, compared to the same age cohort that does not identify as Indigenous or visible minority populations. Among youth and core aged workers, participation rates among visible minority populations are lower than among similarly-aged populations that do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
With lower participation and higher unemployment rates, employment rates are lower for visible minority youth and core aged populations. With stronger participation rates (and despite higher unemployment rates), the employment rate of older visible minority populations is higher than older Canadians who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
Year-over-Year Change (July 2020 vs July 2021)
Nationally, the unemployment rate among those who identify as visible minority populations declined from 16.3% in July 2020 to 10.2% in July 2021. All regions reported declines in visible minority population unemployment rates when compared to the previous year.
The unemployment rate among Canadians who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population also declined from 9.3% in July 2020 to 6.5% in July 2021. All regions reported declined in unemployment rates among those that do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population from a year earlier with Alberta and British Columbia posting the largest declines.
Participation rate among Canadian who identify as a visible minority increased from 75.3% in July 2020 to 78.3% in July 2021. Participation rates among visible minority populations in all regions were higher when compared to the previous year.
Nationally, participation rate among those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population increased from 75.2% in July 2020 to 75.7% in July 2021. Quebec, Saskatchewan and Alberta participation rates for those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority were lower in July 2021 when compared to the previous year.
Employment rates among Canadians who identify as a visible minority population increased 7.3 percentage points from a year earlier to 70.3% in July 2021. All regions reported gains in employment rates of visible minority populations.
Employment rates among Canadians who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population increased 2.6 percentage points from a year earlier to 70.8% in July 2021. In Atlantic Canada, employment rates among those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population increased 2.5 percentage points to 66.6% in July 2021.
Unemployment rates across almost all visible minority populations were lower when compared to a year earlier. The exception was among those who identify as Filipino with a small increase. Unemployment rates among both men and women visible minority populations also declined from the previous year.
Participation rate among almost all visible minority population groups increased year-over-year in July 2021 with the exception of those who identify as Southeast Asian. Participation rates from men who identify as Filipino, Latin America and Southeast Asian were lower when compared to the previous year.
Employment rates across all visible minority groups increased year-over-year in July 2021. Both men and women reported gains in employment rates when compared to the previous year.
Unemployment rate of visible minority populations declined year-over-year for youth and core aged workers but increased moderately for older workers. Unemployment rates for those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population were lower across all age cohorts when compared to the previous year.
Participation rate of visible minority populations increased year-over-year across all age cohorts. Participation rates among those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population increased year-over-year for core aged and older workers but declined modestly for youth workers.
Employment rates of visible minority populations increased year-over-year across all age cohorts. The same trend occurred for those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, July 2021
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