Research summary: Education & Employment of Visible Minorities in Canada
Title of the report: 2021 Census of Population: Education & Labour Market Profile of Visible Minority Populations in Canada
Author of the report: Vilma Laryea
Alternate formats
Education & Employment of Visible Minorities in Canada [PDF - 301 KB]
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Why this study
The research looks at the education and job status of visible minority groups in Canada. It compares their experiences to people who are not part of visible minority groups.
What we did
Using data from the 2021 Census, the study looked at:
- the highest level of education completed by visible minorities, compared to others
- how many visible minorities have jobs or are unemployed, compared to others, and
- how much visible minorities earn from work, compared to others
What we found
When looking at education, this research found that:
- most visible minorities in Canada are highly educated
- nearly half of visible minority women had a university degree, compared to non-visible minority women
- twice as many visible minority men had a university degree compared to non‑visible minority men
- more visible minorities studied Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Math than non-visible minorities
When looking at employment, this research found that:
- even though visible minorities had more education, they were less likely to have jobs than non-visible minorities with similar education
- visible minorities earned less money than non-visible minorities
- this was true for men and women, no matter their education level
What it means
This study shows that visible minorities in Canada often have more education but face challenges finding a job and tend to earn less money. These findings can help the Government of Canada support policies and programs aimed at limiting barriers to employment for visible minorities.
Contact us
Learning Branch, Learning Policy & Services Directorate, Planning, Policy, and Partnerships Division
Email: esdc.nc.sspb.research-recherche.dgpss.cn.edsc@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca