More information on Labour force activity

Censuses:

2006 (1/5 sample), 2001 (1/5 sample), 1996 (1/5 sample), 1991 (1/5 sample), 1986 (1/5 sample), 1981 (1/5 sample), 1976 (1/3 sample), 1971 (1/3 sample), 1961 (1/5 sample)

Reported for:

Population 15 years of age and over, excluding institutional residents

Question numbers:

Derived variable: Questions 34 to 39

Responses:

The values for the Labour force activity variable are:

Remarks:

1. For more information, see the definitions for Employed, Unemployed and Not in the labour force.

2. The Labour force activity categories were derived from the responses to the following questions on the census questionnaire:

   • Hours worked for pay or in self-employment (Question 34)
   • On temporary lay-off or absent from job or business (Question 35)
   • New job to start in four weeks or less (Question 36)
   • Looked for full-time or part-time paid work in the past four weeks (Question 37)
   • Reasons unable to start a job (Question 38)
   • When last worked for pay or in self-employment (Question 39).
     

   Note: Other than for specialized research in consultation with the census labour market analysts, tabulation of these variables on their own (with the exception of Hours worked for pay or in self-employment and When last worked for pay or in self-employment) is not recommended.

3. See Figure 8 for the components of population and labour force activity.

   
   Figure

   Figure 8 Population and labour force activity components, 2006 Census

4. For historical tabulations using 1971 or 1976 census data, refer to the definition for Historical labour force activity (based on the 1971 concepts).

5. For information on the comparability of 2006 Census labour force activity data with those of previous censuses and the Labour Force Survey, see Appendix E.