Dictionary, Census of Population, 2021
Job permanency

Definition

Job permanency refers to the classification of paid jobs as either permanent or temporary for persons aged 15 years and over in private households that were paid employees.

The variable usually relates to the individual's job held during the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021. However, if persons did not work during the reference week but had worked at some time since January 1, 2020, the job permanency is based on the longest held job during that period.  Persons with two or more jobs were to report the information for the job at which they worked the most hours.

The position can be either permanent (no fixed end date), fixed‑term (one year or more) or casual, seasonal or short‑term (less than one year).

Statistical unit(s)

• Employed person
• Experienced labour force person
• Labour force
• Person 15 years or over
• Person with recent work experience

Classification(s)

• Not applicable

Reported in

2021 (25% sample).

Reported for

Population aged 15 years and over, in private households, who worked as an employee since January 1, 2020. The variable usually relates to the individual's job held during the week of Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8, 2021. However, if the person did not work during that week but had worked at some time since January 1, 2020, the information relates to the job held the longest during that period.

Question number(s)

Derived variable: Question 48

Responses

Employee - Permanent position - no fixed end date

Employee - Fixed‑term position (1 year or more)

Employee - Casual, seasonal or short‑term position (less than 1 year)

Remarks

Employee

This category includes persons who worked for others in the context of an employer‑employee relationship. This includes persons who worked for wages, salaries, commissions, tips, piece‑rates, or payments 'in kind' (payments in goods or services rather than money). Employees were asked to identify the type of position they held: Permanent - no fixed end date; Fixed‑term (1 year or more); Casual, seasonal or short‑term position (less than 1 year).

Exclusion:

'Employee' does not include working owners of incorporated businesses even though they may receive wages, salaries, commissions, tips, piece‑rates or payments 'in kind' (payments in goods or services rather than money).

Related 2021 data products

• Job permanency by highest level of education, occupation major group, employment income statistics, age and gender: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts (98-10-0453-01)