Racialized Peoples

The Survey on Employment and Skills, conducted by the Environics Institute for Survey Research in collaboration with the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre, was designed to explore Canadians’ experiences with the changing nature of work, including technology-driven disruptions, increasing insecurity and shifting skills requirements.

The second wave of the Survey on Employment and Skills was conducted in late 2020, as the pandemic’s second wave gathered momentum in Canada and the number of new COVID-19 cases steadily increased.

Immigration is an important part of Canada’s economic growth - especially in terms of sustaining the labour market. And although Canada welcomes many immigrants to our shores, we aren’t creating an employment environment where they can use their skills to their fullest potential. There are several steps that Canada needs to take to fix this problem, such as getting better at recognizing the credentials immigrants possess and providing them with improved labour market information throughout their immigration journey.

This report focuses on the overall impact of the pandemic, as well as more specific experiences such as lost hours of work, employment or income. It also looks at who was more likely to receive one or more of the emergency support benefits provided by the government, and how helpful these benefits have been.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a rapid rise in the number of Canadians who are teleworking. While for many the transition has been positive, and a significant number of workers and employers indicate an interest to continue teleworking arrangements post-pandemic, there are inequalities in access and ability to telework. It is urgent that society responds in ways that will chart a path forward as the pandemic continues to unfold.

This report examines the key components of Canada's essential digital infrastructure system, highlights worrying inequalities that exist within this system, and offers recommendations on how to quickly reduce some of the most glaring obstacles that prevent many of those who would benefit the most from accessing training, education and employment opportunities digitally from doing so.