About this tabulation

General information

Catalogue number :	97F0012XCB2001003
Release date :	March 25, 2003
Topic :	Canada's Workforce: Paid Work
Data dimensions :	Geography (Geographic Index) Census Years (6) Sex (3) Marital Status (7) Age Groups (17B) Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (10) Historical Labour Force Activity (Based on the 1971 Concepts) (8)

Note

Special Note: Census Sample Sizes

Based on 100% data from 1911 to 1961, on 33 1/3% sample data in 1971, and on 20% sample data from 1981 to 2001.

Special Note: Comparability of Labour Force Activity Data With Those of Previous Censuses

Differences between the 2001 Census definitions and those of 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996 for the 'Employed', 'Unemployed' and 'Not in the labour force' categories must be taken into consideration when making comparisons with data presented in other census years. This table, however, contains labour force activity data for a series of census years that are based on 1971 Census concepts and are historically comparable.

In 1971 (and in 1976) institutional residents were asked the labour force questions and were classified as 'Not in the labour force'. Since 1981, institutional residents have not been asked the labour force questions and have been excluded from the population 15 years and over. Users should be aware that this table, which contains labour force activity data based on 1971 Census concepts, excludes institutional residents completely, rather than includes these persons in the 'Not in the labour force' category.

Female farm labourers who were unpaid family workers and who 'helped without pay' for less than 20 hours a week were also classified as 'Not in the labour force' in 1971. Since 1976, these persons have been classified as 'Employed'. In 1971, persons who were both 'Looking for work' and 'Absent' were considered as 'Unemployed' rather than 'Employed'.

In 1976, two new questions were added to the questionnaire in order to determine unemployment status. The first was a question on availability for work in the reference week. This question provided for "Yes" or "No" responses only. Instructions in the Guide requested persons still in school, those who already had a job, were temporarily ill or who had personal or family responsibilities, to consider themselves unavailable. Persons unavailable for work were classified as "Not in the labour force". The "Availability" question was only asked of persons who looked for work in the reference week. The second new question asked respondents if they had a new job to start at a future date. In addition to these new questions, a new processing restriction was applied. Persons on lay-off or with a new job to start, who were in full-time attendance at elementary or secondary school at any time since September 1975, were considered unavailable for work. Therefore, in 1976, persons were considered unemployed if they were "on lay-off" or had a "new job to start in the future" and were not in full-time attendance at elementary or secondary school. Persons who looked for work in the reference week and were available to work were also included in the "Unemployed".

In 1981, the reference period for the "Looking for work" question was increased to the past four weeks instead of the reference week. The "Availability" question was expanded to include more detailed response categories: already had a job; temporary illness or disability; personal or family responsibilities; going to school; or other reasons. Only persons who marked "going to school" or "other reasons" were considered unavailable for work. The "New job to start at a future date" question was reworded to specify that the job was to start within four weeks of the reference week. Persons on temporary lay-off were identified by a question which combined information on lay-off and absences from a job. The reference period for lay-off was extended to 26 weeks. As in 1976, persons on lay-off or with a new job to start were considered unavailable if they had been in full-time attendance at elementary or secondary school at any time since September 1980. Persons who looked for work and who responded "going to school" or "other reasons" were considered unavailable regardless of whether they were on lay-off or had a new job to start.

In 1986, the reference period for temporary lay-off was removed and the phrase "from a job to which the person expects to return" was added to the questionnaire. The 1986 questionnaire did not include a question on school attendance. It was therefore not possible to apply the school attendance criterion to persons on lay-off or with a new job to start.

In 1991, 1996 and 2001, the questions asked to determine unemployment status were the same as those asked in 1986. In addition, since 1991, a "School attendance" question was included on the questionnaire. Persons on temporary lay-off or with a new job to start who did not look for work were available for work, and therefore "Unemployed", if they were not in full-time attendance at elementary or secondary school at any time since September of the year preceding the census. Persons on temporary lay-off or with a new job to start who looked for full-time work were available for work, and therefore "Unemployed", if they did not respond "going to school" or "other reasons" to the "Availability" question, and if they were not in full-time attendance at elementary or secondary school at any time since September of the year preceding the census. Persons on temporary lay-off or with a new job to start who looked for part-time work were available for work, and therefore "Unemployed", if they did not respond "going to school" or "other reasons" to the "Availability" question.

The processing of unemployment data in 1991, in 1996 and in 2001 was similar to that of 1981. There was, however, a change introduced for students in full-time attendance at elementary or secondary school at any time since the previous September. In 1991, 1996 and 2001, these persons were considered unavailable for work if they had looked for full-time work in the past four weeks.

The labour force questions in the 2001 Census were the same as those used in the 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996 Censuses.

Special Note: Immigrant Population

Refers to people who are, or have been, landed immigrants in Canada. A landed immigrant is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Some immigrants have resided in Canada for a number of years, while others have arrived recently. Most immigrants are born outside Canada, but a small number were born in Canada. For additional information, please refer to the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Special Note: Non-permanent Residents

In 1991, 1996 and 2001, the Census of Population enumerated both permanent and non-permanent residents of Canada. Non-permanent residents are persons who held a student or employment authorization, Minister's permit, or who were refugee claimants, at the time of the census. Family members living with these persons are also classified as non-permanent residents.

Prior to 1991, only permanent residents of Canada were included in the census. (The only exception to this occurred in 1941.) Non-permanent residents were considered foreign residents and were not enumerated.

Today in Canada, non-permanent residents make up a significant segment of the population, especially in several census metropolitan areas. Their presence can affect the demand for such government services as health care, schooling, employment programs and language training. The inclusion of non-permanent residents in the census facilitates comparisons with provincial and territorial statistics (marriages, divorces, births and deaths) which include this population. In addition, this inclusion of non-permanent residents brings Canadian practice closer to the UN recommendation that long-term residents (persons living in a country for one year or longer) be enumerated in the census.

According to the 1996 Census, there were 166,715 non-permanent residents in Canada, representing 0.6% of the total population. There were slightly more non-permanent residents in Canada at the time of the 2001 Census: 198,645 non-permanent residents, or 0.7% of the total population.

Total population counts, as well as counts for all variables, are affected by this change in the census universe. Users should be especially careful when comparing data from 1991, 1996 or 2001 with data from previous censuses in geographic areas where there is a concentration of non-permanent residents. Such areas include the major metropolitan areas in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.

Although every attempt has been made to enumerate non-permanent residents, factors such as language difficulties, the reluctance to complete a government form or to understand the need to participate may have affected the enumeration of this population.

For additional information, please refer to the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Special Note: Nunavut (1)

Data from the 2001 Census are available for Nunavut, the new territory that came into effect on April 1, 1999.

Standard data products released only at the Canada/Province/Territory geographic levels will not contain data for Nunavut for the census years prior to 2001.

Standard data products released at the Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) and Census Agglomeration (CA) geographic levels will contain data for Nunavut for the 2001, 1996 and/or 1991 Censuses.

The 1996 and 1991 CMA/CA data have been adjusted to reflect as closely as possible the 2001 CMA/CA geographic boundaries. This has been done to facilitate data comparisons using the 2001 geographic boundaries.

For additional information, please refer to the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Special Note: Population Universe

The Population Universe of the 2001 Census includes the following groups:

- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants with a usual place of residence in Canada;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants who are abroad, either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who are claiming refugee status and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold student authorizations (student visas or student permits) and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold employment authorizations (or work permits) and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Minister's permits (including extensions) and members of their families living with them.

For census purposes, the last four groups in this list are referred to as 'non-permanent residents'. For further information, refer to the variable Immigration: Non-permanent Resident found in the 2001 Census Dictionary, Catalogue Number 92-378-XIE or 92-378-XPE.

Data table

Select data categories for this table

Geography Geographic index Canada Newfoundland and Labrador - Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador Prince Edward Island - Île-du-Prince-Édouard Nova Scotia - Nouvelle-Écosse New Brunswick - Nouveau-Brunswick Quebec - Québec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbia - Colombie-Britannique Yukon Territory - Territoire du Yukon Northwest Territories - Territoires du Nord-Ouest Nunavut

Census Years (6) 2001 1996 1991 1986 1981 1971

Sex (3) Total - Sex Male Female

Marital Status (7) Total - Marital status Never married (single) Ever married Married (including common-law) Separated Divorced Widowed

Age Groups (17B) Total - Age groups 15-24 years 15-19 years 20-24 years 25-34 years 25-29 years 30-34 years 35-44 years 35-39 years 40-44 years 45-54 years 45-49 years 50-54 years 55-64 years 55-59 years 60-64 years 65 years and over

This table details historical labour force activity on the 1971 concepts) , immigrant status and period of immigration , age groups , marital status and sex for population 15 years and over in Canada^{Footnote 1}

Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (10)	Historical Labour Force Activity (Based on the 1971 Concepts) (8)
	Total - Historical labour force activity (based on the 1971 concepts)	In the labour force	Employed	Unemployed	Not in the labour force	Participation rate	Employment rate	Unemployment rate
Total - Immigrant status and period of immigrationFootnote 2	23,901,360	16,048,280	14,591,120	1,457,160	7,853,080	67.1	61.0	9.1
Non-immigrant population	18,598,660	12,769,060	11,625,850	1,143,205	5,829,600	68.7	62.5	9.0
Immigrant population	5,131,660	3,195,900	2,895,585	300,315	1,935,760	62.3	56.4	9.4
Entered country during the census yearFootnote 3	56,810	33,400	20,805	12,595	23,410	58.8	36.6	37.7
Entered country within the last 5 yearsFootnote 4	702,305	473,740	392,570	81,170	228,570	67.5	55.9	17.1
Entered country 6 to 10 years agoFootnote 5	779,470	534,850	469,975	64,875	244,620	68.6	60.3	12.1
Entered country 11 to 15 years agoFootnote 6	636,445	461,780	417,315	44,460	174,660	72.6	65.6	9.6
Entered country 16 to 20 years agoFootnote 7	380,325	278,075	255,550	22,525	102,255	73.1	67.2	8.1
Entered country more than 20 years agoFootnote 8	2,576,300	1,414,055	1,339,365	74,690	1,162,245	54.9	52.0	5.3
Non-permanent residentsFootnote 9	171,040	83,325	69,685	13,640	87,720	48.7	40.7	16.4

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97F0012XCB2001003.

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Related data

• 2001 Census analysis series:
  The Changing Profile of Canada's Labour Force, 2001 Census