Research summary: Post-secondary education (PSE) pathways of students in Canada
Official title of the full report: Post-secondary education (PSE) pathways of students in Canada: An analysis of PSE enrollment after the receipt of employment insurance (EI) benefits
Author of the full report: Michelle G. Laing and Samuel Laryea
Alternate formats
Post-secondary education (PSE) pathways of students in Canada [PDF - 260 KB]
Large print, braille, MP3 (audio), e-text and DAISY formats are available on demand by ordering online or calling 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). If you use a teletypewriter (TTY), call 1-800-926-9105.
Why this study
People who receive EI benefits often say that more education would help them to find a job. There is existing research on the educational pathways and labour market outcomes of graduates in Canada. However, that research has not looked at the labour market status of graduates who receive EI benefits some time after the completion of their course and subsequently go back to school.
What we did
We used the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform to study graduates in Canada who received EI benefits and went back to school from 2011 to 2016. We obtained information about their demographic characteristics and tracked them to see if there were any changes in their labour market outcomes.
What we found
Only 0.8% of graduates receive EI benefits some time after the completion of their course and subsequently went back to school. They were more likely to go back to school if they were:
- women
- Canadian
- aged under twenty-five when they finished school
- members of smaller families
- university graduates
- graduates with credentials in one of the following four fields of study:
- business, management and public administration
- social and behavioural sciences, and law
- humanities
- physical and life sciences, and technologies
There were changes in the labour market outcomes of those who went back to school:
- more of them had only one job
- they experienced more growth in their earnings compared to those who did not go back
- studying part-time led to them having higher earnings
What it means
Returning to school after receiving EI benefits can improve labour market outcomes. Studying part-time is advantageous because spending less time away from work is related to more time putting theory into practice.
Contact us
Skills and Employment Branch, Labour Market Information Directorate, Policy Research Analysis and Geomatics Division
Email: esdc.nc.sspb.research-recherche.dgpss.cn.edsc@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca