• Français
Future Skills Center logo
Français
Polygon Created with Sketch. Home | Research
Research

Unemployment in Canada: A report from the Survey on Employment and Skills

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted employment in many ways and reshaped patterns of work. This report works to better understand the conditions that impact unemployment and that keep individuals from finding a job that fits. It focuses on unemployment examining those who are unemployed and looking for work and those who are unemployed and not looking for work. This distinction highlights concerns around widespread discouragement as the root cause of disengagement with the workforce.

Understanding the dynamics that lead to long-term unemployment are critical to inform strategies to develop skills and create opportunities for all. Specifically, the purpose of this analysis was to further investigate the following research questions: Which demographic groups are more likely to experience long-term unemployment? How do those who are unemployed and looking for work differ from those that are unemployed and not looking for work? Do we see demographic differences based on variables such as educational attainment, physical health or disability status?What are the reasons why some unemployed individuals are not looking for work?

Download Report Button

Key Insights

Individuals with longer durations of unemployment (over 15 months) are more likely to be over the age of 35, more likely to say that their physical and mental health are fair or poor, more likely to have a disability and less likely to have a postsecondary education.

Extended unemployment significantly impacts lifelong earnings potential. As individuals spend more time out of work, they miss out on career advancements and salary increases, which cumulatively affect their financial stability and long-term economic security

The most common type of reason for not looking for work is related to health. According to the survey results, 63% of the respondents report that they are not looking for a job due to physical or mental health issues.

More from FSC

Person giving a whiteboard presentation to a group
Project

Career Advancement for Immigrant Professionals

  • May 2025
  • Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC)
The Career Advancement for Immigrant Professionals (CAIP) program, initiated in Toronto, aimed to address the significant underemployment of skilled immigrant professionals in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
2 Related Reports
two workers in a technical environment look at a piece of machinery
State of Skills

Work-Integrated Learning

  • May 2025
Work-integrated learning can be effective in developing technical and soft skills among learners at different levels, including in high schools, colleges and universities and in professional roles.
1 Related Reports
Shot of a businesswoman having a meeting with her colleague while using a digital tablet.
Project

Work in Manitoba

  • May 2025
  • Economic Development Winnipeg
This project sought to address the challenges employers in the province were facing in connecting with the right talent and having to navigate multiple recruitment platforms with no guarantee that postings would reach qualified candidates.
1 Related Reports
View all Research