Skip to content
Home > Future of Work > Is taking a gap year between…

Future of work

A curated resource of recent research on trends shaping Canada's labour market.

Is taking a gap year between high school and postsecondary education beneficial or detrimental in the long term? Economic and Social Reports. Statistics Canada.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE SOURCE
Key Takeaway
Taking a gap year between high school and postsecondary degree programs is correlated with reduced future earnings.

 

Taking a gap year between secondary and post-secondary studies has long been a goal for many students. On the positive side, a gap year could help students become more mature before starting postsecondary studies. Having an additional year of work or life experience could also help them make more informed decisions about their future career, possibly leading to superior labour market outcomes later.

On the other hand, taking a gap year could involve substantial opportunity costs, such as accepting low-paying work, or perhaps not working at all. Statistics Canada investigated the long-term labour market implications associated with taking a gap year in education. Using data from the Youth in Transition Survey, which covers ages 17 to 31, research findings suggest a substantial negative association between taking gap year and cumulative earnings for those who enrolled in a degree program.

In contrast, taking a gap year was positively associated with earnings for men enrolled in non-degree post-secondary programs ($70,416, or 14.6%, more). There was no association for their female counterparts.

New
April, 2025 | Wang, Z., Shakir, S., Servais, B., Osman, S., Hu, Y., Gamal, Y., Elshrief, M., Cloete, K. J., Mostafa, A., Santos, J., Xia, Y., Chen, C. X., Li, F., Hilal, I. H. I., Elsayed, A. E., Abdallatif, Y., Zhang, H., & Tsiroukis, F.
Key Takeaway: Emerging fields of science could reshape the landscapes of entire industries. Strong guardrails are needed to mitigate potential unintended risks for health, the environment, and labour markets.
New
December, 2024 | Public Policy Forum
Key Takeaway: Experts say that harmonizing regulations, modernizing copyright laws, strengthening cybersecurity, and upgrading Canada’s energy infrastructure are crucial for building a strong AI industry.
New
January, 2025 | Donald, F. & Janzen, N.
Key Takeaway: Researchers across Canada have been developing predictions and estimates for the potential impacts of tariffs by examining past trade policies and various economic factors.
New
March, 2025 | McMillan, H.
Key Takeaway: Tariffs are the latest factor expected to influence the labour market. Understanding how they will affect local labour markets and economies is crucial.
2025 | The Conference Board of Canada
Key Takeaway: The economy in Yukon is expected to grow by 41% from 2024 to 2045. However, the existing labour supply cannot meet the territory’s current labour demand.
2025 | Munro, D., & Lamb C.
Key Takeaway: Work-integrated learning programs that are short, flexible and less resource-intensive increase opportunities for students to develop professional skills and networks.
Load More

Contact Us

350 Sparks Street
Suite 604
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 0A4

Please enter your name.
Please enter a message.
Please check the captcha to verify you are not a robot.
Scroll To Top