The Economics and Statistics Division maintains archives of previous publications for accountability purposes, but makes no updates to keep these documents current with the latest data revisions from Statistics Canada. As a result, information in older documents may not be accurate. Please exercise caution when referring to older documents. For the latest information and historical data, please contact the individual listed to the right.
<--- Return to Archive
For additional information relating to this article, please contact:
October 08, 2021LABOUR FORCE SURVEY: VISIBLE MINORITIES, SEPTEMBER 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 September 2021 and year-over-year changes from September 2020. Results are not seasonally adjusted. Unless otherwise indicated, data refer to populations aged 15-69.
September 2021
Nationally, the unemployment rate of those who identify with a visible minority population (7.8%) was higher than the unemployment rate (5.6%) 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 Ontario. In Atlantic Canada, the unemployment rate was 6.2% for those that identify with a visible minority group. This was 2.0 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 (76.1%) than for those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population (75.2%). Participation rates of those who identify with a visible minority population were higher in all regions except Quebec. In Atlantic Canada, those who identify with a visible minority population reported an 76.8% participation rate, compared to a 71.9% 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 (70.1%) than for those who did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population (71.0%). In Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia 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, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta when compared against those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population. The gap between the employment rates for those who identified with visible minority populations and those who did not was highest in Atlantic Canada.
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. Unemployment rates were notably higher for Black women when compared against lower unemployment rates for women who do not identify as Indigenous or a visible minority. Among men, those who identify as Arab 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, Latin American, and Southeast Asian groups. Participation rates among women were notably lower than among men for people who identified as Black, Arab and South Asian.
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 Latin American.
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 (September 2020 vs September 2021)
Nationally, the unemployment rate among those who identify as visible minority populations declined from 11.9% in September 2020 to 7.8% in September 2021. All regions reported declines in visible minority population unemployment rates when compared to the previous year, with the largest decline in Ontario.
The unemployment rate among Canadians who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population also declined from 7.1% in September 2020 to 5.6% in September 2021. All regions reported declines 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 Canadians who identify as a visible minority increased from 74.7% in September 2020 to 76.1% in September 2021. Participation rates among visible minority populations in all regions were higher when compared to the previous year except Quebec and Manitoba. Saskatchewan posted the largest increase.
Nationally, participation rate among those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population increased from 74.6% in September 2020 to 75.2% in September 2021. In Manitoba and Saskatchewan, participation rates for those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority were lower in September 2021 when compared to the previous year.
Employment rates among Canadians who identify as a visible minority population increased 4.3 percentage points from a year earlier to 70.1% in September 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 1.7 percentage points from a year earlier to 71.0% in September 2021. In Atlantic Canada, employment rates among those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population increased 1.6 percentage points to 66.0% in September 2021.
Unemployment rates across almost all visible minority populations were lower when compared to a year earlier. Unemployment rates among both men and women visible minority populations also declined from the previous year. The exception was among those who identify as Filipino man with a small increase.
Participation rate among almost all visible minority population groups increased year-over-year in September 2021. Participation rates from men who identify Latin American and from women who identify as Black or Filipino were lower when compared to the previous year.
Employment rates across all visible minority groups increased year-over-year in September 2021. Both men and women reported gains in employment rates when compared to the previous year. The only exceptions were among men who identify as Latin American and Black women.
Unemployment rate of visible minority populations declined year-over-year for all age groups. Unemployment rates for those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population were also lower across all age cohorts.
Participation rate of visible minority populations increased year-over-year for core aged and older workers but declined for youth workers. Participation rates among those who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population increased year-over-year across all age groups.
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, September 2021
<--- Return to Archive
