2006 Census Topic-based tabulations

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Topic-based tabulation: Work Activity in 2005 (14), Visible Minority Groups (15), Immigrant Status and Period of Immigration (9), Highest Certificate, Diploma or Degree (7), Age Groups (9) and Sex (3) for the Population 15 Years and Over of Canada, Provinces, Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2006 Census - 20% Sample Data

About this tabulation

General information

Catalogue number :97-562-XCB2006014
Release date :April 2, 2008
Topic :Ethnic origin and visible minorities
Data dimensions :

Note

Note: Data quality - Certificate or diploma below the bachelor level

The overall quality of the 'Highest certificate, diploma or degree' variable from the 2006 Census is acceptable. However, users of the 'University certificate or diploma below the bachelor level' category should know that an unexpected growth in this category was noted compared to the 2001 Census.

In fact, in the 2001 Census, 2.5% of respondents aged 15 years or over declared such a diploma, compared to 4.4% in 2006, representing 89% growth. This phenomenon was not found in other sources like the Labour Force Survey.

We recommend users interpret the 2006 Census results for this category with caution.

For more information on factors that may explain such variances in census data, such as response errors and processing errors, please refer to the 2006 Census Dictionary, Appendix B: Data quality, sampling and weighting, confidentiality and random rounding.

More information will be available in the Education Reference Guide, 2006 Census, to be published later in 2008.

Note: Non-permanent residents and the census universe

In the 2006 Census, non-permanent residents are defined as people from another country who, at the time of the census, held a Work or Study Permit, or who were refugee claimants, as well as family members living in Canada with them. In the 1991, 1996 and 2001 censuses, non-permanent residents also included persons who held a Minister's permit; this was discontinued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada prior to the 2006 Census.

From 1991 on, the Census of Population has enumerated both permanent and non-permanent residents of Canada. Prior to 1991, only permanent residents of Canada were included in the census. (The only exception to this occurred in 1941.) Non-permanent residents were considered foreign residents and were not enumerated.

Total population counts, as well as counts for all variables, are affected by this change in the census universe. Users should be especially careful when comparing data from 1991, 1996, 2001 or 2006 with data from previous censuses in geographic areas where there is a concentration of non-permanent residents.

Today in Canada, non-permanent residents make up a significant segment of the population, especially in several census metropolitan areas. Their presence can affect the demand for such government services as health care, schooling, employment programs and language training. The inclusion of non-permanent residents in the census facilitates comparisons with provincial and territorial statistics (marriages, divorces, births and deaths) which include this population. In addition, this inclusion of non-permanent residents brings Canadian practice closer to the United Nations (UN) recommendation that long-term residents (persons living in a country for one year or longer) be enumerated in the census.

Although every attempt has been made to enumerate non-permanent residents, factors such as language difficulties, the reluctance to complete a government form or to understand the need to participate may have affected the enumeration of this population.

For additional information, please refer to the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

For counts of the non-permanent resident population in 1991, 2001 and 2006, please refer to the 2006 Census table 97-557-XCB2006006.


Note: Population universe

The population universe of the 2006 Census includes the following groups:
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants with a usual place of residence in Canada;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants who are abroad, either on a military base or attached to a diplomatic mission;
- Canadian citizens (by birth or by naturalization) and landed immigrants at sea or in port aboard merchant vessels under Canadian registry;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who are claiming refugee status and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Study Permits and members of their families living with them;
- persons with a usual place of residence in Canada who hold Work Permits and members of their families living with them.

For census purposes, the last three groups in this list are referred to as 'non-permanent residents'. For further information, refer to the variable Immigration: Non-permanent resident found in the 2006 Census Dictionary, catalogue number 92-566-XWE or 92-566-XPE.

Data table

Select data categories for this table


This table details work activity in 2005 , visible minority groups , immigrant status and period of immigration , highest certificate, diploma or degree , age groups and sex for the population 15 years and over in CanadaFootnote 2
Visible minority groups (15) Work activity in 2005 (14)
Total - Work activity in 2005 Did not work in 2005Footnote 3 Worked in 2005 Worked 1 to 48 weeks Worked 49 to 52 weeks Average weeks worked in 2005 Worked mostly full time Worked 1 to 48 weeks Worked 49 to 52 weeksFootnote 4 Average weeks worked mostly full time Worked mostly part time Worked 1 to 48 weeks Worked 49 to 52 weeks Average weeks worked mostly part time
Total - Population by visible minority groups 25,664,220 7,805,645 17,858,580 6,855,725 11,002,855 43.2 13,869,775 4,287,505 9,582,270 45.8 3,988,800 2,568,220 1,420,575 34.0
Total visible minority populationFootnote 5 3,922,695 1,244,835 2,677,860 1,208,730 1,469,135 41.8 2,073,250 770,265 1,302,985 44.8 604,610 438,460 166,145 31.3
Chinese 1,005,640 361,665 643,975 285,765 358,205 41.8 498,520 178,325 320,190 44.9 145,455 107,440 38,020 31.0
South AsianFootnote 6 957,645 292,175 665,470 308,770 356,700 41.6 527,895 206,280 321,615 44.5 137,575 102,495 35,080 30.3
Black 562,140 163,805 398,335 177,015 221,320 41.5 297,415 105,395 192,015 44.9 100,920 71,615 29,300 31.7
Filipino 320,915 69,110 251,810 108,230 143,580 43.3 203,275 74,620 128,655 45.7 48,530 33,605 14,925 33.1
Latin American 244,330 68,975 175,355 81,970 93,380 41.6 135,475 53,680 81,795 44.4 39,875 28,285 11,590 32.2
Southeast AsianFootnote 7 184,580 57,190 127,390 52,340 75,050 43.1 102,865 35,320 67,545 45.6 24,520 17,020 7,500 32.5
Arab 195,900 73,905 121,995 59,260 62,740 40.6 92,155 37,130 55,025 43.8 29,835 22,125 7,710 30.5
West AsianFootnote 8 125,855 45,695 80,160 38,645 41,510 40.7 56,940 21,945 34,995 44.6 23,215 16,700 6,520 31.2
Korean 114,620 50,240 64,375 32,755 31,620 40.1 45,965 19,050 26,915 43.8 18,410 13,705 4,705 30.9
Japanese 66,400 22,990 43,410 18,605 24,805 42.4 31,950 10,675 21,275 45.8 11,455 7,930 3,525 33.1
Visible minority, n.i.e.Footnote 9 57,115 15,995 41,120 16,545 24,575 43.1 32,530 10,795 21,735 45.8 8,590 5,750 2,840 32.9
Multiple visible minorityFootnote 10 87,565 23,095 64,470 28,820 35,650 41.7 48,250 17,040 31,210 45.2 16,215 11,780 4,440 31.1
Not a visible minorityFootnote 11 21,741,525 6,560,810 15,180,720 5,646,995 9,533,720 43.4 11,796,525 3,517,240 8,279,290 46.0 3,384,190 2,129,765 1,254,425 34.5

Footnotes

Footnote 1

'Highest certificate, diploma or degree' refers to the highest certificate, diploma or degree completed based on a hierarchy which is generally related to the amount of time spent 'in-class.' For postsecondary completers, a university education is considered to be a higher level of schooling than a college education, while a college education is considered to be a higher level of education than in the trades. Although some trades requirements may take as long or longer to complete than a given college or university program, the majority of time is spent in on-the-job paid training and less time is spent in the classroom.

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Footnote 2

Excludes census data for one or more incompletely enumerated Indian reserves or Indian settlements.

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Footnote 3

Includes persons who never worked, persons who worked prior to 2005 only, or persons who worked in 2006 only.

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Footnote 4

Persons in this category are also referred to as full-year, full-time workers.

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Footnote 5

The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour'.

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Footnote 6

For example, 'East Indian', 'Pakistani', 'Sri Lankan', etc.

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Footnote 7

For example, 'Vietnamese', 'Cambodian', 'Malaysian', 'Laotian', etc.

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Footnote 8

For example, 'Iranian', 'Afghan', etc.

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Footnote 9

The abbreviation 'n.i.e.' means 'not included elsewhere'. Includes respondents who reported a write-in response such as 'Guyanese', 'West Indian', 'Kurd', 'Tibetan', 'Polynesian', 'Pacific Islander', etc.

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Footnote 10

Includes respondents who reported more than one visible minority group by checking two or more mark-in circles, e.g., 'Black' and 'South Asian'.

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Footnote 11

Includes respondents who reported 'Yes' to the Aboriginal identity question (Question 18) as well as respondents who were not considered to be members of a visible minority group.

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Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 97-562-XCB2006014.

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Footnotes

Footnote a

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Footnote c

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Footnote d

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