Age
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the age at last birthday (as of the census reference date, May 16, 2006). This variable is derived from Date of birth.

Refers to the relationship between a person's usual place of residence on Census Day and his or her usual place of residence one year earlier. A person is classified as a non-mover if no difference exists. Otherwise, a person is classified as a mover and this categorization is called Mobility status (1 year ago). Within the category of movers, a further distinction is made between non-migrants and migrants; this difference is called migration status.

Non-movers are persons who, on Census Day, were living at the same address as the one at which they resided one year earlier.

Movers are persons who, on Census Day, were living at a different address from the one at which they resided one year earlier.

Non-migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were living at a different address, but in the same census subdivision (CSD) as the one they lived in one year earlier.

Migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were residing in a different CSD one year earlier (internal migrants) or who were living outside Canada one year earlier (external migrants).

Intraprovincial migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were living in a different census subdivision from the one at which they resided one year earlier, in the same province.

Interprovincial migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were living in a different census subdivision from the one at which they resided one year earlier, in a different province.

Refers to the relationship between a person's usual place of residence on Census Day and his or her usual place of residence five years earlier. A person is classified as a non-mover if no difference exists. Otherwise, a person is classified as a mover and this categorization is called Mobility status (5 years ago). Within the movers category, a further distinction is made between non-migrants and migrants; this difference is called migration status.

Non-movers are persons who, on Census Day, were living at the same address as the one at which they resided five years earlier.

Movers are persons who, on Census Day, were living at a different address from the one at which they resided five years earlier.

Non-migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were living at a different address, but in the same census subdivision (CSD) as the one they lived in five years earlier.

Migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were residing in a different CSD five years earlier (internal migrants) or who were living outside Canada five years earlier (external migrants).

Intraprovincial migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were living in a different census subdivision from the one in which they resided five years earlier, in the same province.

Interprovincial migrants are movers who, on Census Day, were living in a different census subdivision from the one in which they resided five years earlier, in a different province.

Mother tongue
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual at the time of the census.

Refers to the language used most often at work by the individual at the time of the census. Data on other languages used at work on a regular basis are also collected.

Landed immigrant status
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to whether or not the person is a landed immigrant in Canada. Landed immigrants are people who have been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities.

Non-immigrant population
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to people who are Canadian citizens by birth. Although most were born in Canada, a small number of them were born outside Canada to Canadian parents.

Immigrant population
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to people who are, or have been, landed immigrants in Canada. A landed immigrant is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Some immigrants have resided in Canada for a number of years, while others have arrived recently. Most immigrants are born outside Canada, but a small number were born in Canada.

Non-permanent resident
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to people from another country who had a Work or Study Permit, or who were refugee claimants at the time of the census, and family members living in Canada with them.

Period of immigration
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to ranges of years based on the year of immigration question. Year of immigration refers to the year in which landed immigrant status was first obtained. A landed immigrant is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities.

Year of immigration
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the year in which landed immigrant status was first obtained. A landed immigrant is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities.

Non-immigrants are persons who are Canadian citizens by birth. Although most Canadian citizens by birth were born in Canada, a small number were born outside Canada to Canadian parents.

Immigrants are persons who are, or have ever been, landed immigrants in Canada. A landed immigrant is a person who has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Some immigrants have resided in Canada for a number of years, while others are recent arrivals. Most immigrants are born outside Canada, but a small number were born in Canada. Includes immigrants who landed in Canada prior to Census Day, May 16, 2006.

Includes immigrants who landed in Canada prior to Census Day, May 16, 2006.

Non-permanent residents are persons 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 with them in Canada.

Visible minority population
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the visible minority group to which the respondent belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour'.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Labour force activity
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the labour market activity of the population 15 years of age and over in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 16, 2006). Respondents were classified as Employed, Unemployed, or Not in the labour force. The labour force includes the employed and the unemployed.

Labour force
Part A - Plain language definition:
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition:
Refers to persons who were either employed or unemployed during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 16, 2006).
Labour force = Employed + Unemployed

Employed
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Persons who, during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 16, 2006):
(a) did any work at all for pay or in self-employment or without pay in a family farm, business or professional practice
(b) were absent from their job or business, with or without pay, for the entire week because of a vacation, an illness, a labour dispute at their place of work, or any other reasons.

Unemployed
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Persons who, during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 16, 2006), were without paid work or without self-employment work and were available for work and either:
(a) had actively looked for paid work in the past four weeks; or
(b) were on temporary lay-off and expected to return to their job; or
(c) had definite arrangements to start a new job in four weeks or less.

Not in the labour force
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to persons who, in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 16, 2006), were neither employed nor unemployed. It includes students, homemakers, retired workers, seasonal workers in an 'off' season who were not looking for work, and persons who could not work because of a long term illness or disability.

Work activity in 2005
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the number of weeks in which a person worked for pay or in self-employment in 2005 at all jobs held, even if only for a few hours, and whether these weeks were mostly full time (30 hours or more per week) or mostly part time (1 to 29 hours per week).
The term 'full-year full-time workers' refers to persons 15 years of age and over who worked 49 to 52 weeks (mostly full time) in 2005 for pay or in self-employment.

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

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

Class of worker
Part A - Plain language definition
Not applicable
Part B - Detailed definition
This variable classifies persons who reported a job into the following categories:
(a) persons who worked mainly for wages, salaries, commissions, tips, piece-rates, or payments 'in kind' (payments in goods or services rather than money);
(b) persons who worked mainly for themselves, with or without paid help, operating a business, farm or professional practice, alone or in partnership;
(c) persons who worked without pay in a family business, farm or professional practice owned or operated by a related household member; unpaid family work does not include unpaid housework, unpaid childcare, unpaid care to seniors and volunteer work.
The job reported was the one held in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to enumeration (May 16, 2006) if the person was employed, or the job of longest duration since January 1, 2005, if the person was not employed during the reference week. Persons with two or more jobs in the reference week were asked to provide information for the job at which they worked the most hours.

Unemployed persons 15 years and over who have never worked for pay or in self-employment or who had last worked prior to January 1, 2005 only.

Refers to the experienced labour force population: includes persons who were employed and persons who were unemployed who worked for pay or in self-employment since January 1, 2005.

Hours worked for pay or in self-employment
Part A - Plain language definition
Actual number of hours that persons worked for pay or in self-employment at all jobs they held during the week of May 7 to 13, 2006.
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the actual number of hours that persons worked for pay or in self-employment at all jobs held in the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to Census Day (May 16, 2006). This includes hours worked for wages, salaries, tips, commissions, piece-rate payments or payments 'in kind' (payments in goods or services rather than money). Hours worked in one's own business, farm or professional practice or hours worked without pay in a family business, farm or professional practice, owned or operated by a relative living in the same household are also included.
Excluded are hours during which the respondent was absent, with or without pay, for part of the week because of illness, vacation, or other reasons.

Refers to employed persons who were absent from their job in the reference week.

Refers to employed persons who worked one or more hours in the reference week.

Place of work status
Part A - Plain language definition
Classification of people aged 15 or over who worked at some point between January 1, 2005 and May 16, 2006 (Census Day), according to whether they worked at home, worked outside Canada, had no fixed workplace address, or worked at a specific address.
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the place of work of non-institutional residents 15 years of age and over who worked at some time since January 1, 2005. The variable usually relates to the individual's job held in the week prior to enumeration. However, if the person did not work during that week but had worked at some time since January 1, 2005, the information relates to the job held longest during that period.

'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.

Census questions relating to education changed substantially between 2001 and 2006, principally to reflect developments in Canada's education system. These changes improved the quality of data and provided more precise information on the level of educational attainment as well as fields of study.

However, users should be aware that changes to the education portion of the 2006 Census questionnaire have affected the comparability of some 2006 Census data with data from previous censuses. More information on the historical comparability of specific categories of 'Highest certificate, diploma or degree' is available in the Education Reference Guide, 2006 Census, catalogue number 97-560-GWE2006003.

Highest certificate, diploma or degree
Part A - Plain language definition
Information indicating the person's most advanced certificate, diploma or degree.
Part B - Detailed definition
This is a derived variable obtained from the educational qualifications questions, which asked for all certificates, diplomas and degrees to be reported. There is an implied hierarchy in this variable (secondary school graduation, registered apprenticeship and trades, college, university) which is loosely tied to the 'in-class' duration of the various types of education. However, at the detailed level a registered apprenticeship graduate may not have completed a secondary school certificate or diploma, nor does an individual with a master's degree necessarily have a certificate or diploma above the bachelor's degree level. Therefore, although the sequence is more or less hierarchical, it is a general rather than an absolute gradient measure of academic achievement.

'High school certificate or equivalent' includes persons who have graduated from a secondary school or equivalent. Excludes persons with a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree. Examples of postsecondary institutions include community colleges, institutes of technology, CEGEPs, private trade schools, private business colleges, schools of nursing and universities.

'College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma' replaces the category 'Other non university certificate or diploma' in previous censuses. This category includes accreditation by non degree-granting institutions such as community colleges, CEGEPs, private business colleges and technical institutes.

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 is available in the Education Reference Guide, 2006 Census, catalogue number 97-560-GWE2006003.

Questions pertaining to university degrees attained in 2006 (for example bachelor's degrees or master's degrees) were similar to those asked in 2001. Data for the university categories (bachelor's degree through to earned doctorate) are comparable over time.

'Field of study' is defined as the main discipline or subject of learning. It is collected for the highest certificate, diploma or degree above the high school or secondary school level.

Major field of study - Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)
Part A - Plain language definition
Main subject area of the person's highest certificate, diploma or degree after high school.
Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the predominant discipline or area of learning or training of a person's highest postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree. The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP [Canada 2000]) major field of study classification structure consists of 13 major categories or primary groupings, 12 of which are used for the census (the category which includes courses in personal development is not used). The 12 primary groupings are: education; visual and performing arts, and communications technologies; humanities; social and behavioural sciences and law; business, management and public administration; physical and life sciences and technologies; mathematics, computer and information sciences; architecture, engineering and related technologies; agriculture, natural resources and conservation; health, parks, recreation and fitness; personal, protective and transportation services; other.

Includes Multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary studies, Other.

'Location of study' refers to the province, territory or country where the highest certificate, diploma or degree above the high school level was completed.

Location of study
Part A - Plain language definition
Indicates the province, territory or country where the highest certificate, diploma or degree was obtained.
Part B - Detailed definition
This variable indicates the province, territory (in Canada) or country (outside Canada) where the highest certificate, diploma or degree was obtained. It is only reported for individuals who had completed a certificate, diploma or degree above the secondary (high) school level.

Occupation (based on the National Occupational Classification for Statistics 2006 [NOC-S 2006])
Part A - Plain language definition
Kind of work done by persons aged 15 and over. Occupation is based on the type of job the person holds and the description of his or her duties. The 2006 Census data on occupation are classified according to the National Occupational Classification for Statistics 2006 (NOC-S 2006). For comparisons with data from the 1991 and 1996 censuses, the variable Occupation (historical) should be used.

Part B - Detailed definition
Refers to the kind of work persons were doing during the reference week, as determined by their kind of work and the description of the main activities in their job. If the person did not have a job during the week (Sunday to Saturday) prior to enumeration (May 16, 2006), the data relate to the job of longest duration since January 1, 2005. Persons with two or more jobs were to report the information for the job at which they worked the most hours.

The 2006 Census occupation data are classified according to the National Occupational Classification for Statistics 2006 (NOC-S 2006). This classification is composed of four levels of aggregation. There are 10 broad occupational categories containing 47 major groups that are further subdivided into 140 minor groups. At the most detailed level, there are 520 occupation unit groups. Occupation unit groups are formed on the basis of the education, training, or skill level required to enter the job, as well as the kind of work performed, as determined by the tasks, duties and responsibilities of the occupation.

For information on the NOC-S 2006, see the National Occupational Classification for Statistics 2006, Catalogue No. 12-583-XIE.

Unemployed persons 15 years and over who have never worked for pay or in self-employment or who had last worked prior to January 1, 2005 only.

Refers to the experienced labour force population: includes persons who were employed and persons who were unemployed who worked for pay or in self-employment since January 1, 2005.

Earnings or employment income - Refers to total income received by persons 15 years of age and over during calendar year 2005 as wages and salaries, net income from a non-farm unincorporated business and/or professional practice, and/or net farm self-employment income.

Wages and salaries - Refers to gross wages and salaries before deductions for such items as income tax, pensions and Employment Insurance. Included in this source are military pay and allowances, tips, commissions and cash bonuses, benefits from wage-loss replacement plans or income-maintenance insurance plans, supplementary unemployment benefits from an employer or union as well as all types of casual earnings during calendar year 2005. Other employment income such as taxable benefits, research grants and royalties are included.

Net farm income - Refers to net income (gross receipts from farm sales minus depreciation and cost of operation) received during calendar year 2005 from the operation of a farm, either on the respondent's own account or in partnership. In the case of partnerships, only the respondent's share of income was reported. Included with gross receipts are cash advances received in 2005, dividends from cooperatives, rebates and farm support payments to farmers from federal, provincial and regional agricultural programs (for example, milk subsidies and marketing board payments) and gross insurance proceeds such as payments from the Net Income Stabilization Account (NISA). The value of income 'in kind,' such as agricultural products produced and consumed on the farm, is excluded.

Net non-farm income from unincorporated business and/or professional practice - Refers to net income (gross receipts minus expenses of operation such as wages, rents and depreciation) received during calendar year 2005 from the respondent's non-farm unincorporated business or professional practice. In the case of partnerships, only the respondent's share was reported. Also included is net income from persons babysitting in their own homes, persons providing room and board to non relatives, self-employed fishers, hunters and trappers, operators of direct distributorships such as those selling and delivering cosmetics, as well as freelance activities of artists, writers, music teachers, hairdressers, dressmakers, etc.

Receipts not counted as income - The income concept excludes gambling gains and losses, lottery prizes, money inherited during the year in a lump sum, capital gains or losses, receipts from the sale of property, income tax refunds, loan payments received, lump sum settlements of insurance policies, rebates received on property taxes, refunds of pension contributions as well as all income 'in kind,' such as free meals and living accommodations, or agricultural products produced and consumed on the farm.

Average income of individuals - Average income of individuals refers to the weighted mean total income of individuals 15 years of age and over who reported income for 2005. Average income is calculated from unrounded data by dividing the aggregate income of a specified group of individuals (e.g., males 45 to 54 years of age) by the number of individuals with income in that group.

Median income of individuals - The median income of a specified group of income recipients is that amount which divides their income size distribution into two halves, i.e., the incomes of the first half of individuals are below the median, while those of the second half are above the median. Median income is calculated from the unrounded number of individuals (e.g., males 45 to 54 years of age) with income in that group.

Standard error of average income - Refers to the estimated standard error of average income for an income size distribution. If interpreted as shown below, it serves as a rough indicator of the precision of the corresponding estimate of average income. For about 68% of the samples which could be selected from the sample frame, the difference between the sample estimate of average income and the corresponding figure based on complete enumeration would be less than one standard error. For about 95% of the possible samples, the difference would be less than two standard errors and, in about 99% of the samples, the difference would be less than approximately two and one half standard errors.

Average and median incomes and standard errors of average income of individuals will be calculated for those individuals who are at least 15 years of age and who have an income (positive or negative). For all other universes (families [census/economic], persons 15 years of age and over not in families or private households), these statistics will be calculated over all units, whether or not they reported any income.

These statistics can be derived for after-tax income, earnings, wages and salaries, or any other particular source of income in the same manner.

Work activity - Refers to the number of weeks in which a person worked for pay or in self-employment in the reference year at all jobs held, even if only for a few hours, and whether these weeks were mostly full time (30 hours or more per week) or mostly part time (1 to 29 hours per week). Persons with a part-time job for part of the year and a full-time job for another part of the year were to report the information for the job at which they worked the most weeks. The term 'Full-year full-time workers' refers to persons 15 years of age and over who worked 49 to 52 weeks (mostly full time) in the reference year for pay or in self-employment.

Includes persons who never worked, persons who worked prior to 2005 only, persons who worked in 2006 only, as well as persons who worked in 2005 but had no employment income.

Was an earner or employment income recipient and worked 49 to 52 weeks in 2005, mostly full time.

Was an earner or employment income recipient and worked less than 49 weeks or worked mostly part time in 2005.