Research summary: Factors that influence employment expectations

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Why this study

It is important for people who are unemployed to find a job that is just as good as the one they lost as quickly as possible. This helps reduce the bad effects of job losses. However, different situations and how much time has passed can affect how people search for jobs and what jobs they expect to find.

• The goal of this study is to look closely at what unemployed people expect from their job search, especially if they receive regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.
• This analysis is important to see if the EI program is helping people who are unemployed and supporting the economy. It also helps us understand how to improve the chances of unemployed people finding jobs.

What we did

The Employment Insurance Coverage Survey (EICS) has information about whether unemployed people received EI benefits to help replace their lost income. It also asks them how likely they think they are to find a good job in the next 3 months. Data from the EICS, covering the years from 2000 to 2019, was used to show what unemployed people think about finding a job. We looked at how their job expectations are connected to different things, like:

• who they are
• their work history
• how they pay for their household expenses, and
• what they do to search for jobs

What we found

Between 2000 and 2019, about 71% of unemployed people receiving EI and 63% of those not receiving EI believed they could find a job within 3 months of the EICS reference date.

Several important factors influenced whether unemployed people thought they could find a job. These factors included things like their background, past jobs, money for household expenses, and how they looked for jobs.

Unemployed people, whether they got EI or not, were more likely to believe they could find a job if they were:

• male
• younger
• born in Canada
• had a trades certificate
• previously worked in jobs related to trades, transport, or construction
• able to pay most or all their household expenses
• thought that work experience, job clubs, or resume writing would help them find a job
• contacted employers directly to search for a job

People who received more EI benefits or only received them for a shorter time (up to 6 months) were also more likely to think they could find a job.

In regions with more unemployment and higher average EI payments, people were less likely to think they could find a job. However, in regions with a higher average duration of EI receipt, people were more likely to expect to find a job.

Most of the unemployed people (92%) were willing to take a job that paid at least 75% of what they used to earn if the job was suitable and offered within 3 months of the EICS reference date.

What it means

Some factors can help unemployed people feel positive about finding a job. But there are also factors that can make them feel negative and could stop them from finding a job quickly. Policies that help unemployed people should consider the current job market and the differences between different groups of unemployed people including whether they receive EI benefits.

Contact us

For access to the full report, please contact us using the email address below.

Skills and Employment Branch, Labour Market Information Directorate, Policy Research Analysis and Geomatics Division

Email: esdc.nc.sspb.research-recherche.dgpss.cn.edsc@esdc-edsc.gc.ca