This deck has been developed to assist employers and HR practitioners in building and maintaining a current and strong business case for employer engagement on effective immigrant integration practices.
2. Taking Stock
» Overview of Ottawa’s labour market
– Labour force growth; Participation rates; Retirement age;
Employment growth; Unemployment; Job vacancies
» Immigrants in the labour force
– Integration indicators: unemployment; skills utilization
» Employers’ role in immigrant integration
– Remove barriers; adopt best practices, leverage diverse talent
– The HIO initiative: Engaging Employers. Collaborating for
Change
3. How many people in Ottawa’s labour force?
• In 2015, the Ottawa-Gatineau
Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)
had a labour force of 760,100
people. 75% resided in the Ontario
portion of the Metro area (567,000),
and 25% in the Quebec portion
(193,000).
• Steady growth: the number of people
in Ottawa-Gatineau’s labour force
grew by 100,000 or 15% between
2005 and 2015. On the Ontario side
of the CMA, the labour force
increased by 70,500 or 14%.
• Ottawa-Gatineau’s labour force is
made up almost equally of men
(52%) and women (48%).
• Among metropolitan areas in
Canada, Ottawa-Gatineau has the
6th largest labour force, after
Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver,
Calgary and Edmonton.
4. Labour force participation rates
Ottawa*, 2005-2015
» The labour force
participation rate in
Ottawa in 2015 was
68.7%. Although in line
with the rates found in
many other Canadian
cities, it is for Ottawa, the
lowest participation rate
recorded over the past
ten years.
» Statistics Canada
projections show
Canada’s participation
could fall to between
59.7% and 62.6% in
2031, a level not
observed since the
1970s.
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
5. High participation rates among “core working-age”
Participation rates, males and females age 25-54, Ottawa*, 2005-2015
» Participation rates are high among
“core working-age”. The participation
rates of men and women are highest
among those aged 25-54 (92.1%
and 84.5%) – sometimes called the
“core working-age” labour force.
» Since the 1970s, the increase in the
number of women in the workforce
has been the most significant factor
driving up the overall participation
rate. This trend is moderating as
female participation rates approach
those of similarly aged males.
» It is projected that 25- to 54-year-old
female participation rates will climb
to 89 per cent by 2035, just below
those of males of the same age.
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
6. Labour force participation rates
by age and sex, Ottawa*, 2005-2015
» Among youth aged 15-24, females
have higher participation rates than
males (65.4% vs. 60.2% in 2015)
» The participation rate of Ontario’s
youth aged 15 to 24 has been
trending down since the late 1980s,
in part due to rising enrolment in
postsecondary education (Ontario
Ministry of Finance)
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
7. Labour force participation rates
by age and sex, Ottawa*, 2005-2015
» Males aged 55-64 have a higher
participation rate than women of
the same age (68.6% vs. 55.1%
in 2015). Rates for men and
women have been relatively
stable.
» The participation of men and
women age 65 and over almost
doubled between 2005 and 2015
» While the number of workers
age 65+ is growing, it is
expected to have a fairly modest
impact on the overall labour
force (Ontario Ministry of
Finance).
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
8. Retirement age is increasing
Canada, 2005-2015
» Males retiring from the
private sector in 2015 were
on average, age 64.4.
Female retirees were
somewhat younger at 63.7
» People retiring from the
public sector in 2015 were,
on average, 61 years of age,
about 2-3 years younger
than private sector retirees
» Average age at retirement
has increased by about 2 to
3 years over the past decade
9. Age composition of the labour force
Ottawa*, 2005 and 2015
» More older workers: In 2005,
there were 62,000 people
aged 55 or older in Ottawa’s
labour force, representing
13% of the total. By 2015,
the number of labour force
participants aged 55 and
over increased to 94,600,
representing 17% or one-in-
six workers
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
10. Employment growth positive but modest
Ottawa*, 2005-2015
» In Ottawa, the number of
employed persons increased
by 67,500 between 2005 and
2015. Full-time jobs
increased by 51,700 or 14%
and part-time jobs by 16,000
or 18%.
» In 2015, 80% of Ottawa’s
employed population worked
full-time, and 20% part-time.
» In Canada overall, over 85
per cent of all jobs created
from 2009 to 2014 were in
full-time positions with more
than two-thirds in high-wage
industries (Dept. of Finance
Canada).
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
11. Employment Growth by Occupational Group
Ottawa*, 2005 to 2015
» Sales and Service occupations
increased by 20,000 or 19.8% between
2005 and 2015, accounting for 30% of
total employment growth
» Health occupations increased by
15,900 or 66.8% between 2005 and
20015
» Employment in Management
occupations, and in Manufacturing and
Utilities occupations was lower in 2015
than in 2005
EmploymentGrowthbyOccupational Group-Ottawa Total
employment
2015(000's)
Change in
number
2005to
2015(000's)
Percent
Change
2005to
2015
All occupations 531.1 67.5 14.6%
Management 50.0 -5.8 -10.4%
Business,finance andadministration 102.0 11.2 12.3%
Natural andappliedsciences 71.6 8.2 12.9%
Healthoccupations 39.7 15.9 66.8%
Education,law,social,community&gov'tservices 76.9 11.5 17.6%
Art,culture,recreationandsport 18.1 1.4 8.4%
Salesandservice 120.8 20.0 19.8%
Trades,transportandequipmentoperators 43.0 7.4 20.8%
Natural resources,agriculture 3.6 0.0 0.0%
Manufacturingandutilities 5.4 -2.1 -28.0%
Source:Statistics Canada,CANSIMtable282-0159
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
12. Employment Growth by Industry Sector
Ottawa*, 2005 to 2015
Employment Growth by Industry Sector- Ottawa
Total
employment
2015(000's)
Change in
number2005
to 2015
(000's)
Percent
Change 2005
to 2015
Total employed, all industries 531.1 67.5 15%
Agriculture, Forestry, Mining, Utilities 2.4 -1.5 -38%
Construction 31.8 10.7 51%
Manufacturing 16.7 -13.6 -45%
Wholesale and retail trade 66.9 7.2 12%
Transportation and warehousing 15.3 2.5 20%
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental 27.7 4.5 19%
Professional, scientificand technical services 54.9 5 10%
Business, building and othersupport services 25.3 4.3 20%
Educational services 43.4 8.7 25%
Health care and social assistance 67.3 22.5 50%
Information, culture and recreation 25.7 3.9 18%
Accommodation and food services 33.2 8.8 36%
Otherservices (except publicadministration) 19.5 -2.7 -12%
Publicadministration 101.1 7.3 8%
Source:Statistics Canada, CANSIM table282-0131
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
Among industry sectors, Health
Care and Social Assistance led
the way in employment growth,
adding 22,500 jobs between 2005
and 2015
The manufacturing sector
experienced a loss of 13,600 jobs
between 2005 and 2015, a decline
of 45%
13. Unemployment Trends
Ottawa-Gatineau, 2005-2015
» The Ottawa-Gatineau CMA
had an unemployment rate
of 6.5% in 2015. It was lower
in the Ontario portion of the
CMA (6.3%) and higher in
the Quebec portion (7.1%).
» The unemployment rate
trended down between 2005
and 2008 when it hit a ten
year low of 5.0%.
Unemployed rose in 2009
following the financial crisis
and has remained just over
six per cent for several years
14. Unemployment Rate
by age and sex, Ottawa*, 2015
» Unemployment rates are
highest among youth aged
15-24, and in particular,
young males. Persons aged
15 to 24 make up 38% of
Ottawa’s unemployed
population.
» Unemployment rates are
lowest among persons aged
45 and over, and in
particular, older women
» 37% of Ottawa’s
unemployed population is
aged 25-44, and 25% is
aged 45 and over.
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
15. Job Vacancies
Ottawa*, Q12015-Q22016
» There were 13,875 job
vacancies in Q2 2016. The
average offered hourly wage
was $18.40
» The job vacancy rate in Q2
2016 was 2.8%, compared to
2.5% in Q2 2015.
» In Q2 2016, 38% of vacancies
were in Sales and Service
Occupations, with an
averaged offered wage of
$12.45
» Natural and Applied Science
occupations accounted for
10% of vacancies, with an
offered hourly wage of $32.05 *refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
16. Characteristics of Vacant Jobs
based on Ontario Job Vacancies, Q2 2016
» 67% full-time
» 61% required high-school diploma (26%) or no minimum level of education (35%)
» 78% required no professional certification
» 49% required less than one year experience, 12% five or more years
» 51% vacant less than 30 days; 31% more than 30 days; 18% “constantly recruiting”
» 70% permanent; 30% temporary
» Most common recruitment strategies used for vacant positions:
– Online job boards 66%
– Personal contacts, referrals, informal networks 58%
– Company website 56%
– Social media 36%
– Job or recruitment fairs at schools, colleges or universities 19%
– Government employment centre or website 18%
– Posting a "help-wanted" sign on the storefront of the location 17%
– Professional networking, headhunters or employment agency 15%
– Newspaper ads 12%
17. Number of Immigrants Received
Ottawa*, 2006 to 2015
» From 2006 to 2015, Ottawa
received 62,595 immigrants,
representing 2.4% of all
immigrants coming to Canada,
and 5.8% of all immigrants
coming to Ontario
» 2015 marked a reversal of a
four-year decline in the annual
number of immigrants to Ottawa
» Highly skilled immigrants are
essential to support the
development of a knowledge-
based economy. Immigration
also helps foster Ontario’s
international trade through
commercial and cultural ties with
countries of origin (Ontario
Ministry of Finance).
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
18. Immigrants are highly educated
Ottawa*, 2011
• 80% of recent immigrants aged
25-64 have completed post-
secondary education, a higher
proportion than the Canadian-
born population.
• Immigrants make up 27% of
Ottawa’s labour force with post-
secondary education, 37% of the
labour force with a Master’s
degree, and 57% of the labour
force with an earned Doctorate
• Immigrants make up 37% of
the “STEM” workforce, and are
most prevalent within
Engineering and engineering
technology (40%), followed by
Mathematics and computer
science (36%), Science (34%)
and Technology (23%).
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
19. Immigrants’ skills underutilized
Unemployment rate, Canada, August 2016
Recent immigrants to
Canada who are
between the ages of
25 and 54 and who
held a university
degree had an
unemployment rate of
12.5%, more than
three times higher
than their Canadian-
born counterparts.
20. Unemployment rates by field of study
Immigrants compared to Canadian-born
Ottawa*, 2011
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
Unemployment rates by Field of Post-secondary Study, Ottawa, 2011 NHS
Immigrants by period of immigration
Can born
1971 to
1980
1981 to
1990
1991 to
2000
2001 to
2011
Education 3.1 1.9 3.4 1.5 14.3
Social and behavioural sciences and law 3.2 3.5 6.7 6.2 13.0
Business, management and public administration 3.4 2.7 5.6 6.3 11.2
Physical and life sciences and technologies 4.0 5.7 2.7 6.9 10.6
Mathematics, computer and information sciences 3.3 na 4.5 3.6 9.1
Architecture, engineering, and related technologies 3.9 4.4 3.4 4.8 7.7
Health and related fields 3.1 2.1 1.2 3.2 7.3
Source: Statistics Canada, National Household Survey, Cansim Table 99-012-X2011048.
21. Overqualification rates
Immigrants compared to Canadian-born
Ottawa*, 2011
Among employed
Canadian-born men with
a university degree, 9%
worked in jobs requiring
high school or less.
Canadian-born women
with a university degree
had a slightly higher rate
of over-qualification at
11%.
In comparison, recent
immigrant men and
women with a university
degree had considerably
higher rates of
overqualification with
16% and 24%
respectively.
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
22. Employment Income
Immigrants and Canadian-born, Ottawa*, 2010
Incidence of employment income, showing average and median employment income, 2010, Ottawa
Total
Number of
people
% with
employment
income
average
employment
income (1)
median
employment
income (1)
Canadian-born 546,910 75 50,989 42,794$
Immigrant, Before 1981 59,160 54 56,870 44,923$
1981to 1990 32,215 77 51,701 41,900$
1991to 2000 52,025 75 46,441 36,682$
2001to 2005 23,390 72 40,467 31,034$
2006to 2009 19,355 66 31,368 22,403$
(1) only those with employment income
Source: Prepared by Hire Immigrants Ottawa using CANSIM table 99-014-x2011034
Among Ottawa’s immigrants who arrived in Canada between 2006 and 2009, median earnings in
2010 was $22,403, which is $20,391 less than the median earnings of the Canadian-born population.
RBC Economics puts the national earnings gap between immigrants and Canadian-born at more than
$30 billion
*refers to the Ontario portion of the Ottawa-Gatineau Census Metropolitan Area
23. Employers play a key role in successful
integration of immigrants
» ”Employers are at the heart of successful immigrant labour market integration. When
employers are empowered to take responsibility for successful immigrant integration
within their workplaces and sectors, they can help create solutions that respond to
their own changing needs for skilled workers, while creating positive employment
outcomes that benefit Immigrants, the wider community, and the economy”.
– OECD Report, Employer Engagement to Enhance Skills Investment, OECD Skills Strategy Spotlight.
» “the degree to which Ontario can successfully integrate new arrivals into the
province’s labour market and social fabric will have a significant effect on Ontario’s
fiscal fortunes”.
– The report of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services – the “Drummond Report”
24. Engaging Employers. Collaborating for Change
Accomplishments of the HIO initiative, 2012-2015
» 33 organizations represented on the
Employer Council of Champions,
providing leadership on the integration of
immigrants in the workplace
» sector-based Working Groups hosted12
coaching events, involving 86 employer
coaches and 278 skilled immigrants,
providing them with guidance and advice
on job search strategies;
» 9 Collaborative Workshops, taking on a
variety of subjects deemed critical for
effective integration solutions, including
assessing and interviewing skilled
immigrants, conducting workforce
surveys, strategies to embed inclusive
practices, and changes to Canada’s
immigration selection system;
» 46 cross-cultural professional
development sessions to enhance the
cross-cultural communication and
management skills of 531 employer
participants
25. Engaging Employers. Collaborating for Change
Accomplishments of the HIO initiative, 2012-2015
» 36 learners graduated from HIO’s
enhanced cross-cultural training program,
obtaining the skills to become facilitators
of cross-cultural competency change
within their own workplaces, further
deepening the impacts of the program
» 4 professional networking events that
brought together 104 employers and 140
skilled immigrants, providing opportunities
for interaction, learning, and relationship
building
» Support and consultation to local
employers as they work to develop internal
recruitment and retention practices; 118
employers are implementing systemic
changes to their HR policies and working
place practices.
» 455 skilled immigrants gained skills
appropriate employment with participating
HIO employers.
26. Engaging Employers. Collaborating for Change
Accomplishments of the HIO initiative, 2012-2015
» Annual Employers Summit
This two-day event brings together over 200 civic leaders, senior executives and human
resources professionals from business, government, not-for-profit organizations and immigrants in
a program designed to inform, celebrate and inspire employer excellence in Ottawa.
Keynote speakers and expert panelists address a range of topics on systemic barriers and
solutions to the effective integration of skilled immigrants in to the labour force.
» Summit themes:
2015: Skills to Jobs: Ottawa’s Human Capital Requirements in the Knowledge Economy
2014: Leveraging Immigrant Talent to Grow and Diversify Ottawa’s Economy
2013: Diversity Works! Energize, Engage, and Excel with Ottawa’s Global Talent
27. Engaging Employers. Collaborating for Change
Accomplishments of the HIO initiative, 2012-2015
» Employer Excellence
Awards
The HIO Employer
Excellence Awards
recognize employers
for their outstanding
and innovative
recruitment, retention
and engagement
policies and practices
around the integration
of skilled immigrants
into Ottawa
workplaces.
2016 Award Winners:
Export Development Canada
Hydro Ottawa
OZ Optics
Le Centre préscolaire La Coccinelle d’Orléans
28. Hire Immigrants Ottawa (HIO) has helped hundreds of Ottawa
employers improve their ability to recruit and integrate qualified,
capable employees who have recently immigrated to Canada
Our programs and services are free
Contact us:
info@hireimmigrantsottawa.ca
613-683-3370
Hireimmigrantsottawa.ca
