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May 07, 2021LABOUR FORCE SURVEY: VISIBLE MINORITIES, APRIL 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 April 2021. Results are not seasonally adjusted. Unless otherwise indicated, data refer to populations aged 15-69.
Nationally, the unemployment rate of those who identify with a visible minority population (9.9%) was higher than the unemployment rate (7.6%) of those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population. Most regions reported higher unemployment rates for those who identify with a visible minority group. The exceptions are Atlantic Canada, where those who identify with a visible minority population report a lower unemployment rate (8.2%) than those who do not identify as Indigenous or part of a visible minority population (11.1% - though this data is of limited quality). This gap is notably larger in Quebec and Saskatchewan.
National participation rates were slightly lower for those who identify with a visible minority population (74.1%) than for those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population (74.2%). In Atlantic Canada, however, those who identify with a visible minority population report a 77.4% participation rate, which is higher than the 71.0% participation rate for those in the region that do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population. Participation rates of those who identify with a visible minority population were also higher in Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Nationally, employment rates were lower for those who identified with visible minority populations (66.8%) than for those who did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population (68.6%). In Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan 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 and Manitoba 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 those who identify as Filipino as well as males who identify as Latin American. Unemployment rates were notably higher for women in some groups: South Asian, Chinese, Arab and Latin American. This contrasts against lower unemployment rates for women who do not identify as Indigenous or a visible minority. (Some of the results have limited data quality and should be used with caution).
Labour force participation rates were similar on average across all those who identified with a visible minority, when compared against those who do not identify as Indigenous or a visible minority; male participation rates were higher while female participation rates were slightly lower. Those who identified with some groups reported higher participation rates than those who did not identify as Indigenous or a visible minority (Black, Filipino, Latin American) while others reported lower participation rates (South Asian, Chinese, Arab, Southeast Asian). Participation rates among women were notably lower than among men who identified as South Asian, Chinese, Arab, Latin American and Southeast 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 Filipino, where female employment rates were higher.
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 among older Canadians who do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, April 2021
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