April 2020 Labour Force Survey (LFS) supplementary indicators

To fully measure the shock to the Canadian labour market resulting from the COVID-19 economic shutdown, a series of survey enhancements were included in the April 2020 Labour Force Survey, including additional questions on: working from home; concerns related to job loss; capacity to meet financial obligations; and applications to federal COVID-19 assistance programs. 

To ensure that the full scope of the labour market disruption is captured, supplementary indicators were also featured, including measures of the number of Canadians who kept their job but worked reduced hours, and the number who did not look for work because of the unique circumstances associated with the shutdown. 

The following indicators are included in this table:

• Employed, away all week (total weeks away 6 or less - i.e., have no hours due to COVID-19 shutdown)
• Employed, absent 50% or more of usual hours (except those away all week)
• Cumulative number impacted (lost job, measure by the change in employment + employed with significantly reduced hours, measure by above indicators)
• Not in labour force but wanted work, last worked in previous or current month
• Not in labour force but wanted work, did not work in previous or current month
• Supplementary unemployment rate (includes those not normally counted as unemployed but did not look for work for reasons related to the COVID-19 economic shutdown)
• Recent labour underutilization (count and rate - combines all those who were unemployed with those who were not in the labour force but wanted a job and did not look for one; as well as those who remained employed but lost all or the majority of their usual work hours as a proportion of the potential labour force)

These indicators are available for the months of February, March and April 2020 for:

• T1 Canada (Seasonally adjusted)
• T2 Province (Not seasonally adjusted)
• T3 Demographic groups (Not seasonally adjusted)
• T4 Industry (Not seasonally adjusted)

The file package also contains separate tables for underutilization rates at CMA and ER geographies. This is the only variable available at these geographies for now.

Click here for the Statistics Canada Daily article on the April 2020 Labour Force Survey results.