The Business and Community Newsletter, April 2018

Feature articles

Study: How temporary were Canada's temporary foreign workers

"How Temporary Were Canada's Temporary Foreign Workers?" is part of the Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series.

Temporary foreign worker programs have become an increasingly important component of international migration to Western developed countries. However, there is little knowledge on how long foreign workers stay in the host country and what determinants are associated with their migratory trajectories. Using a national longitudinal administrative dataset of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in Canada, this study examines their length and type of stay in Canada. It further examines the likelihood of staying given individual demographic characteristics, source-country attributes, host-country institutional factors and local community conditions.

Almost 90% of temporary foreign workers who were still in Canada after 10 years had obtained permanent resident status, having made the transition from temporary foreign worker to landed immigrant. This was the case among temporary foreign workers in virtually all ongoing programs, with the exception of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program. Temporary foreign workers in this program were unique in that almost one-quarter continued to receive work permits for seasonal employment 10 years after their initial arrival in Canada. Temporary foreign worker programs, such as the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, have been associated with different options for transitioning to permanent residence status.

First Nations People, Métis and Inuit in Canada: Diverse and Growing Populations Numbers in focus

The First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations are growing at a faster rate than the rest of the population in Canada. Each of these groups has a rich history and cultural heritage.

The fact sheet "First Nations People, Métis and Inuit in Canada: Diverse and Growing Populations," offers a snapshot of key statistics on the First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations from a variety of data sources. It highlights a number of topics including demographic growth, education, labour and health.

Study: A day in the life: How do older Canadians spend their time?

This study uses the 2015 General Social Survey on Time Use to examine the time spent by Canadian seniors aged 65 and over on various activities. The paper focuses on three types of activities: unpaid household work, active pursuits and passive leisure activities. It examines the factors associated with time spent on these activities, and also provides comparisons with the 1986 General Social Survey on Time Use.

Learn more about, A day in the life: How do older Canadians spend their time?

Also worth reading

Human Activity and the Environment: Forests in Canada

Canada's forests play a key role in Canada's economy and the lives of Canadians. Not only do they account for 35% of the country's total land area, but they also represent 9% of forests worldwide, according to the latest issue of Human Activity and the Environment.

However, since the mid-2000s, the overall contribution of the forest sector to Canada's economy has declined. In 2016, 105 communities across Canada derived at least 20% of their income from forest sector employment, down significantly from 463 in 2001.

The relative share of forest product exports fell from 12% of total exports in 1997 to 6% in 2016, while the number of jobs in the forest sector declined 42% from 351,675 in 1997 to 205,660 in 2016.

From 1990 to 2015, Canada's forest area decreased 0.3% from 3.48 million km² to 3.47 million km².

To find out more, consult the article "Forests in Canada," released as part of the publication Human Activity and the Environment. This analytical article provides up-to-date statistics about Canada's forest, including data about forest ecosystem goods and services, forest management activities, environmental impacts and more.

What's New

New Study: The Study on International Money Transfers

Statistics Canada is conducting the Study on International Money Transfers on behalf of Global Affairs Canada. This study is collecting information on topics such as the various ways to send money, reasons for choosing one method over another, the different uses of the money, as well as amounts transferred, fees and frequency of transferring money. The target population for the study includes landed immigrants, temporary residents of Canada and naturalized Canadians aged 18 and older. Data collection for the online study is from April to July 2018 and the results will be available in the spring of 2019.

Canada ranks fifth in the world for sending international money transfers,^Footnote 1 but our fees are higher than other countries.^Footnote 2 Statistics Canada found that 29% of new immigrants who arrived in Canada from 2000-2001 sent an average of $2,900 to relatives or friends living outside Canada two to four years after their arrival.^Footnote 3

The Government of Canada has made a commitment to lower the costs associated with transferring money from Canada to other countries. This is driven by a G20 commitment to reduce the global average cost of transferring money internationally. The Study on International Money Transfers will provide the Government of Canada with timely, up-to-date information on the costs associated with transferring money outside Canada and the methods that people living in Canada use to send money internationally. The results of the study will help guide policies and programs to lower the costs of sending money outside Canada, and allow for safer, easier, more reliable money transfers.

Video

One Hundred Years and Counting

"Statistics Canada: One Hundred Years and Counting" with years counting from 1918 to 2018.

To learn more, we invite you to watch this video "One Hundred Years and Counting", which celebrates Statistics Canada's centennial by looking back on our journey with Canada.

Infographics

Income of Canadians

This infographic: Income of Canadians, looks at income in Canada, including the percentage of persons in low income, government transfers and the median after-tax income by family type.

Summary Tables

Check out the link for:

• Average hourly wages of employees by selected characteristics and occupation, unadjusted data, by province (monthly) for Canada and by province.
• Economic Indicators by province and territories

Numbers in Focus

Statistics Canada's Workshop Series

Offered through our regional offices, our Workshop Series provides you with direct access to Statistics Canada's extensive survey methodology and analysis experience. From designing surveys to interpreting and using statistical data in your day-to-day business, we have the course to suit your needs. All instructors are professional staff with broad experience and knowledge in their field of expertise and in training.