A Closer Look

Covid and Self-employed in Canada – Those who also had T4 earnings before the pandemic are in a better position

A new study looks at the degree of reliance on self-employment income by self-employed individuals with and without additional T4 earnings (wages and salaries for which an individual receives a T4 slip) and how this may affect their ability to deal with the post-COVID-19 financial strain. The presence of T4 earnings in the total income … Continue reading →

US immigrants – Key findings by Pew Research Center

Today, more than 40 million people living in the U.S. were born in another country, accounting for about one-fifth of the world’s migrants. Key findings about The United States has more immigrants than any other country in the world. Today, more than 40 million people living in the U.S. were born in another country, accounting … Continue reading →

From Temporary Foreign Workers to Permanent Residents – The two step process presents both advantages and risks

In a two-step immigration selection process, temporary foreign workers are first selected by employers for a temporary job, and some qualified temporary foreign workers then become economic immigrants. The details of this selection process vary among countries. For example, in the US, the temporary workers are typically sponsored by the employers in their bid to … Continue reading →

COVID and Furloughed Workers in UK – Millions have returned to work but …

This morning, HMRC published its latest round of statistics on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS). For the first time, we have a time series of the number of furloughed workers, as opposed to the cumulative total, meaning we can see how use of the scheme has evolved since the start of April. Here are … Continue reading →

What’s Next in Canada ? Chrystia Freeland at TED Talk in 2013

Technology is advancing in leaps and bounds — and so is economic inequality, says writer Chrystia Freeland. In an impassioned talk, she charts the rise of a new class of plutocrats (those who are extremely powerful because they are extremely wealthy), and suggests that globalization and new technology are actually fueling, rather than closing, the … Continue reading →

From CERB to EI in Canada – 2.1 million are not eligible for EI under existing rules

Fast Facts As of August 2, 4.7 million Canadians were receiving the CERB. Based on the July Labour Force Survey (LFS), 1.4 million CERB recipients are eligible for EI under existing EI rules. Of that group: 811,000 would receive EI but would get less than $500 a week; on average, those making less on EI … Continue reading →

Covid and Women’s Labour Force Participation in Canada – Pandemic threatens decades of gains

COVID downturn sees job losses eclipse those of any other recession Canada has been roiled by a recession unlike any other – one distinguished not just by the overall magnitude of damage it has inflicted on the economy but by the specific, unprecedented blow it has dealt to women. In a matter of months, the … Continue reading →

COVID in Canada – The impact on manufacturing

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting measures to prevent its spread (social distancing, travel restrictions, school and business closures) have led to unprecedented job loss and economic upheaval across Canada. Data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) confirm that the economic impact of this health crisis affects different sectors in unique ways. Previous LMI Insight Reports … Continue reading →

COVID and Unemployment in US – Those without a college degree have experienced the most severe impact

Since COVID-19 hit the United States, more than 20 million American workers have become unemployed and countless others have left the labor force altogether. While the labor market disruptions have affected workers in a wide set of industries and occupations, those without a college degree have experienced the most severe impact. Addressing gaps in educational … Continue reading →

May Job Report in US – 32.5 million workers who are either officially unemployed or otherwise out of work as a result of the virus

Key takeaways: In May, the official unemployment rate was 13.3%. However, the unemployment rate that takes into account all those who are out of work as a result of the virus was 19.7%, and the unemployment rate that includes only those who are out of work and don’t have a reasonable chance of being called … Continue reading →

Bringing Jobs Back in US – 6 elements of a strategy

Despite repeated warnings, America’s industrial base has been whittled away by corporations offshoring work to Mexico, China, and other countries. The offshoring of much-needed medical equipment in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic heightens the urgency to bring these supply chains home. While U,S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s recent op-ed heralding an end to “the … Continue reading →

COVID and Work – Logging in to learn, an infographic

COVID – Its impact US college majors

The Great Recession led to big changes in what US college students chose to study. The downturn, which started in 2008, led a shift towards more job-oriented majors, at the expense of the humanities and social sciences. After remaining relatively stable over the previous decade, the share of all students majoring in the humanities or … Continue reading →

COVID – UI in US and in Europe

Consider an average full-time employee in the food industry, who earned around $500 per weekbefore the coronavirus crisis. Average weekly unemployment insurance last year was $378, and now with the extra $600 from the coronavirus relief law, that worker could collect $978 in unemployment benefits each week for two months — nearly double what he … Continue reading →

COVID and Higher Education in US – Students are 25% more likely to go to a school that has a strong online program

Students are 25% more likely to go to a school that has a strong online program nowthan they were just 90 days ago, but colleges aren’t prepared. [L]ike every other institution, the college system is organized to protect the institution and not serve its primary constituents. Education was never designed for the student: It was … Continue reading →