Labour Market Information Definitions

Home Labour Market Information Definitions

EmployedAny individual who either has a job or is engaged in self-employment is considered employed. Since no person aged 14 years or younger can legally work in Canada, the labour force survey only looks at people aged 15 years or older.
UnemployedAny individual who is neither currently employed nor engaged in self-employment, but is actively looking for work is considered unemployed.
This also includes any individual who has been temporarily laid off.
Labour ForceThe labour force is, quite simply, the total of all employed and unemployed people.
Not in the Labour ForceAnyone who is both not employed and not looking for work is considered to be not in the labour force. This includes full-time students or retired individuals.
Anyone engaged in unpaid family care is also included in this category.
Participation RateThe percentage of a working age population (i.e. aged 15 years or older) that is in the labour force.
Employment RateThe percentage of a working age population that is employed.
Unemployment RateThe percentage of people in the labour force that is unemployed.

Source: Statistics Canada. “Guide to the Labour Force Survey, 2018”. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-543-g/71-543-g2018001-eng.htm

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