Future of work
A curated resource of recent research on trends shaping Canada's labour market.
Post-secondary education rates are rising among younger Canadians as compared to older Canadians and to other OECD countries. While this is true across income groups, some groups fare better than others. Educational attainment is rising faster among women and second-generation immigrants, particularly those of Asian descent. Black youth are the least likely to attain post-secondary education.
COVID-19 has challenged the education and earnings potential of graduates and may have long-term effects. Nevertheless, employment and earnings trajectories for postsecondary graduates are still higher than for non-graduates. Higher levels of education are associated with higher median cumulative earnings.
In Canada, the cumulative earnings premium associated with postsecondary education is far greater than average student debt levels. Finally, with an uncertain near-term economic future due to the pandemic, young graduates arriving on the labour market may see earnings losses, which may continue years after the end of the pandemic.