The number of people who are unemployed as a percentage of the active labour force (i.e. employed and unemployed).

This Alberta Official Statistic compares the unemployment rates of Canada and the ten provinces from 1976 to 2014. The unemployment rate is a measure of the proportion of people in the labour force who are unemployed. The labour force includes individuals 15 years and over who are employed or unemployed and looking for work.

Unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate by educational attainment, gender and age group, annual.

The number of people who are unemployed as a percentage of the active labour force (i.e. employed and unemployed).

Regional unemployment rates used by the Employment Insurance program, by effective date, current month.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the detailed breakdown of the count of individuals within distinct income brackets, categorizing them by gender (men and women) and employment type - full-time (FT) and part-time (PT), offering valuable insights into the diverse income landscapes within Alberta. The dataset can be utilized to gain insights into gender-based income distribution within the Alberta population, aiding in data analysis and decision-making..

Key observations

• Employment patterns: Within Alberta, among individuals aged 15 years and older with income, there were 39 men and 36 women in the workforce. Among them, 30 men were engaged in full-time, year-round employment, while 21 women were in full-time, year-round roles.
• Annual income under $24,999: Of the male population working full-time, 3.33% fell within the income range of under $24,999, while none of the female population working full-time was represented in the same income bracket.
• Annual income above $100,000: 20% of men in full-time roles earned incomes exceeding $100,000, while none of women in full-time positions earned within this income bracket.
• Refer to the research insights for more key observations on more income brackets ( Annual income under $24,999, Annual income between $25,000 and $49,999, Annual income between $50,000 and $74,999, Annual income between $75,000 and $99,999 and Annual income above $100,000) and employment types (full-time year-round and part-time)

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Income brackets:

• $1 to $2,499 or loss
• $2,500 to $4,999
• $5,000 to $7,499
• $7,500 to $9,999
• $10,000 to $12,499
• $12,500 to $14,999
• $15,000 to $17,499
• $17,500 to $19,999
• $20,000 to $22,499
• $22,500 to $24,999
• $25,000 to $29,999
• $30,000 to $34,999
• $35,000 to $39,999
• $40,000 to $44,999
• $45,000 to $49,999
• $50,000 to $54,999
• $55,000 to $64,999
• $65,000 to $74,999
• $75,000 to $99,999
• $100,000 or more

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Bracket: This column showcases 20 income brackets ranging from $1 to $100,000+..
• Full-Time Males: The count of males employed full-time year-round and earning within a specified income bracket
• Part-Time Males: The count of males employed part-time and earning within a specified income bracket
• Full-Time Females: The count of females employed full-time year-round and earning within a specified income bracket
• Part-Time Females: The count of females employed part-time and earning within a specified income bracket

Employment type classifications include:

• Full-time, year-round: A full-time, year-round worker is a person who worked full time (35 or more hours per week) and 50 or more weeks during the previous calendar year.
• Part-time: A part-time worker is a person who worked less than 35 hours per week during the previous calendar year.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Alberta median household income by race. You can refer the same here

Provides detailed labour market statistics for off-reserve Indigenous people for 2020, including: labour force, employment, and unemployment rates; full-time, part-time, public and private sector and self-employed breakdowns; gender, age and geographic breakdowns; and industry, occupational and educational attainment information.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment), unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by province, gender and age group. Data are presented for 12 months earlier, previous month and current month, as well as year-over-year and month-to-month level change and percentage change. Data are also available for the standard error of the estimate, the standard error of the month-to-month change and the standard error of the year-over-year change.

(StatCan Product) Employed by selected NAICS 2007 Industries (3 & 4 digits) for Canada and Alberta (annual averages). Customization details: This information product has been customized to present information on the number of employed by selected NAICS 2007 Industries (3 and 4 digit) for Canada and Alberta from 1987 to 2010 (annual averages). The following are the selected Industries presented for both Canada and Alberta: - Total Employed - Sub-total of the below industries - 3254 - Pharmaceutical & Medicine Manufacturing - 334 - Computer and Electronic Manufacturing - 3353 - Electrical Equip. Manufacturing - 3359 - Other Electrical Equip. & Component Manufacturing - 3364 - Aerospace Prod. & Parts Manufacturing - 5112 - Software Publishers - 5152 - Pay and Specialty Television - 517 - Telecommunications - 5182 - Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services - 5191 - Other Information Services - 5413 - Architectural, Engineering & Related Services - 5415 - Computer Systems Design & Related Services - 5416 - Management, Scientific & Technical Consulting Services - 5417 - Scientific Research & Development Services - 6215 - Medical & Diagnostic Laboratories - 8112 - Electronic & Precision Equip. Repair & Maintenance Labour Force Survey The Canadian Labour Force Survey was developed following the Second World War to satisfy a need for reliable and timely data on the labour market. Information was urgently required on the massive labour market changes involved in the transition from a war to a peace-time economy. The main objective of the LFS is to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive classifications - employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force - and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on each of these. Target population The LFS covers the civilian, non-institutionalized population 15 years of age and over. It is conducted nationwide, in both the provinces and the territories. Excluded from the survey's coverage are: persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements in the provinces; full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the institutionalized population. These groups together represent an exclusion of less than 2% of the Canadian population aged 15 and over. National Labour Force Survey estimates are derived using the results of the LFS in the provinces. Territorial LFS results are not included in the national estimates, but are published separately. Documentation – Labour Force Survey Instrument design The current LFS questionnaire was introduced in 1997. At that time, significant changes were made to the questionnaire in order to address existing data gaps, improve data quality and make more use of the power of Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI). The changes incorporated included the addition of many new questions. For example, questions were added to collect information about wage rates, union status, job permanency and workplace size for the main job of currently employed employees. Other additions included new questions to collect information about hirings and separations, and expanded response category lists that split existing codes into more detailed categories. Sampling This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design. Data sources Responding to this survey is mandatory. Data are collected directly from survey respondents. Data collection for the LFS is carried out each month during the week following the LFS reference week. The reference week is normally the week containing the 15th day of the month. LFS interviews are conducted by telephone by interviewers working out of a regional office CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews) site or by personal visit from a field interviewer. Since 2004, dwellings new to the sample in urban areas are contacted by telephone if the telephone number is available from administrative files, otherwise the dwelling is contacted by a field interviewer. The interviewer first obtains socio-demographic information for each household member and then obtains labour force information for all members aged 15 and over who are not members of the regular armed forces. The majority of subsequent interviews are conducted by telephone. In subsequent monthly interviews the interviewer confirms the socio-demographic information collected in the first month and collects the labour force information for the current month. Persons aged 70 and over are not asked the labour force questions in subsequent interviews, but rather their labour force information is carried over from their first interview. In each dwelling, information about all household members is usually obtained from one knowledgeable household member. Such 'proxy' reporting, which accounts for approximately 65% of the information collected, is used to avoid the high cost and extended time requirements that would be involved in repeat visits or calls necessary to obtain information directly from each respondent. Error detection The LFS CAI questionnaire incorporates many features that serve to maximize the quality of the data collected. There are many edits built into the CAI questionnaire to compare the entered data against unusual values, as well as to check for logical inconsistencies. Whenever an edit fails, the interviewer is prompted to correct the information (with the help of the respondent when necessary). For most edit failures the interviewer has the ability to override the edit failure if they cannot resolve the apparent discrepancy. As well, for most questions the interviewer has the ability to enter a response of Don't Know or Refused if the respondent does not answer the question. Once the data is received back at head office an extensive series of processing steps is undertaken to thoroughly verify each record received. This includes the coding of industry and occupation information and the review of interviewer entered notes. The editing and imputation phases of processing involve the identification of logically inconsistent or missing information items, and the correction of such conditions. Since the true value of each entry on the questionnaire is not known, the identification of errors can be done only through recognition of obvious inconsistencies (for example, a 15 year-old respondent who is recorded as having last worked in 1940). Estimation The final step in the processing of LFS data is the assignment of a weight to each individual record. This process involves several steps. Each record has an initial weight that corresponds to the inverse of the probability of selection. Adjustments are made to this weight to account for non-response that cannot be handled through imputation. In the final weighting step all of the record weights are adjusted so that the aggregate totals will match with independently derived population estimates for various age-sex groups by province and major sub-provincial areas. One feature of the LFS weighting process is that all individuals within a dwelling are assigned the same weight. In January 2000, the LFS introduced a new estimation method called Regression Composite Estimation. This new method was used to re-base all historical LFS data. It is described in the research paper ""Improvements to the Labour Force Survey (LFS)"", Catalogue no. 71F0031X. Additional improvements are introduced over time; they are described in different issues of the same publication. Data accuracy Since the LFS is a sample survey, all LFS estimates are subject to both sampling error and non-sampling errors. Non-sampling errors can arise at any stage of the collection and processing of the survey data. These include coverage errors, non-response errors, response errors, interviewer errors, coding errors and other types of processing errors. Non-response to the LFS tends to average about 10% of eligible households. Interviews are instructed to make all reasonable attempts to obtain LFS interviews with members of eligible households. Each month, after all attempts to obtain interviews have been made, a small number of non-responding households remain. For households non-responding to the LFS, a weight adjustment is applied to account for non-responding households. Sampling errors associated with survey estimates are measured using coefficients of variation for LFS estimates as a function of the size of the estimate and the geographic area.

This Alberta Official Statistic describes the educational attainment of employed off-reserve Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Albertans aged 15 years and over. More specifically, the population is split into 4 subgroups (All Aboriginals, First Nations, Métis and Non-Aboriginal) and the educational attainment is also split into 4 subgroups on the chart (University Degree, Post-secondary certificate or diploma, High School graduate or some post-secondary, and Less than High School).

(StatCan Product) Detailed employed labour force by selected industries (Food and Beverage Manufacturing) for Canada, provinces and Alberta's Economic Regions (annual averages). Customization details: This information product has been customized to present information on employed labour force by selected industries (Food and Beverage Manufacturing) for Canada, provinces and Alberta's Economic Regions (ER). A comparison is also made between Food and Beverage Manufacturing industries that includes tobacco manufacturing to the one that does not. The file includes 5 tables: Table 1: Detailed Employed Labour Force by Selected Industries, Canada and Provinces Table 2a: Alberta Employed Labour Force in the Food Related Industries, Canada and Provinces (Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industries Exludes Tobacco Manufacturing) Table 2b: Alberta Employed Labour Force in Food Related Industries, Canada and Provinces (Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industries includes Tobacco Manufacturing. Table 3: Employed Labour Force, Agriculture and Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industries, Alberta and Alberta Economic Regions. Table 4: Detailed Employed Labour Force for All Industries (4-digit NAICS), Alberta Labour Force Survey The Canadian Labour Force Survey was developed following the Second World War to satisfy a need for reliable and timely data on the labour market. Information was urgently required on the massive labour market changes involved in the transition from a war to a peace-time economy. The main objective of the LFS is to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive classifications - employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force - and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on each of these. Target population The LFS covers the civilian, non-institutionalized population 15 years of age and over. It is conducted nationwide, in both the provinces and the territories. Excluded from the survey's coverage are: persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements in the provinces; full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the institutionalized population. These groups together represent an exclusion of less than 2% of the Canadian population aged 15 and over. National Labour Force Survey estimates are derived using the results of the LFS in the provinces. Territorial LFS results are not included in the national estimates, but are published separately. Instrument design The current LFS questionnaire was introduced in 1997. At that time, significant changes were made to the questionnaire in order to address existing data gaps, improve data quality and make more use of the power of Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI). The changes incorporated included the addition of many new questions. For example, questions were added to collect information about wage rates, union status, job permanency and workplace size for the main job of currently employed employees. Other additions included new questions to collect information about hirings and separations, and expanded response category lists that split existing codes into more detailed categories. Sampling This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design. Data sources Responding to this survey is mandatory. Data are collected directly from survey respondents. Data collection for the LFS is carried out each month during the week following the LFS reference week. The reference week is normally the week containing the 15th day of the month. LFS interviews are conducted by telephone by interviewers working out of a regional office CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews) site or by personal visit from a field interviewer. Since 2004, dwellings new to the sample in urban areas are contacted by telephone if the telephone number is available from administrative files, otherwise the dwelling is contacted by a field interviewer. The interviewer first obtains socio-demographic information for each household member and then obtains labour force information for all members aged 15 and over who are not members of the regular armed forces. The majority of subsequent interviews are conducted by telephone. In subsequent monthly interviews the interviewer confirms the socio-demographic information collected in the first month and collects the labour force information for the current month. Persons aged 70 and over are not asked the labour force questions in subsequent interviews, but rather their labour force information is carried over from their first interview. In each dwelling, information about all household members is usually obtained from one knowledgeable household member. Such 'proxy' reporting, which accounts for approximately 65% of the information collected, is used to avoid the high cost and extended time requirements that would be involved in repeat visits or calls necessary to obtain information directly from each respondent. Error detection The LFS CAI questionnaire incorporates many features that serve to maximize the quality of the data collected. There are many edits built into the CAI questionnaire to compare the entered data against unusual values, as well as to check for logical inconsistencies. Whenever an edit fails, the interviewer is prompted to correct the information (with the help of the respondent when necessary). For most edit failures the interviewer has the ability to override the edit failure if they cannot resolve the apparent discrepancy. As well, for most questions the interviewer has the ability to enter a response of Don't Know or Refused if the respondent does not answer the question. Once the data is received back at head office an extensive series of processing steps is undertaken to thoroughly verify each record received. This includes the coding of industry and occupation information and the review of interviewer entered notes. The editing and imputation phases of processing involve the identification of logically inconsistent or missing information items, and the correction of such conditions. Since the true value of each entry on the questionnaire is not known, the identification of errors can be done only through recognition of obvious inconsistencies (for example, a 15 year-old respondent who is recorded as having last worked in 1940). Estimation The final step in the processing of LFS data is the assignment of a weight to each individual record. This process involves several steps. Each record has an initial weight that corresponds to the inverse of the probability of selection. Adjustments are made to this weight to account for non-response that cannot be handled through imputation. In the final weighting step all of the record weights are adjusted so that the aggregate totals will match with independently derived population estimates for various age-sex groups by province and major sub-provincial areas. One feature of the LFS weighting process is that all individuals within a dwelling are assigned the same weight. In January 2000, the LFS introduced a new estimation method called Regression Composite Estimation. This new method was used to re-base all historical LFS data. It is described in the research paper ""Improvements to the Labour Force Survey (LFS)"", Catalogue no. 71F0031X. Additional improvements are introduced over time; they are described in different issues of the same publication. Data accuracy Since the LFS is a sample survey, all LFS estimates are subject to both sampling error and non-sampling errors. Non-sampling errors can arise at any stage of the collection and processing of the survey data. These include coverage errors, non-response errors, response errors, interviewer errors, coding errors and other types of processing errors. Non-response to the LFS tends to average about 10% of eligible households. Interviews are instructed to make all reasonable attempts to obtain LFS interviews with members of eligible households. Each month, after all attempts to obtain interviews have been made, a small number of non-responding households remain. For households non-responding to the LFS, a weight adjustment is applied to account for non-responding households. Sampling errors associated with survey estimates are measured using coefficients of variation for LFS estimates as a function of the size of the estimate and the geographic area.

This Alberta Official Statistic compares the unemployment rates of Canada and the ten provinces from 1976 to 2014. The unemployment rate is a measure of the proportion of people in the labour force who are unemployed. The labour force includes individuals 15 years and over who are employed or unemployed and looking for work.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by Atlantic region, Central provinces, Western provinces, Indigenous population (First Nations or Métis) and Non-Indigenous population, sex, and age group, last 5 years.

This Alberta Official Statistic describes the educational attainment of employed off-reserve Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Albertans aged 15 years and over. More specifically, the population is split into 4 subgroups (All Aboriginals, First Nations, Métis and Non-Aboriginal) and the educational attainment is also split into 4 subgroups on the chart (University Degree, Post-secondary certificate or diploma, High School graduate or some post-secondary, and Less than High School).

An overview of apprenticeship (total and new registrations) and labour force statistics (labour force, number employed and unemployed, and unemployment rate) for the last six calendar years. Includes per cent change.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate, by province, territory and economic region, last 5 years.

(StatCan Product) Employed employees in Alberta by average actual weekly hours worked and average weekly and hourly earnings (annual averages). Customization details: This information product has been customized to present information on Employed employees in Alberta by average actual weekly hours worked and average weekly and hourly earnings (annual averages). Variables for Full-Time and Part-Time: Labour Characteristics Variables included: - Total Employees - Average Actual Hours Worked - Average Weekly Earnings - Average Hourly Earnings Age and Groups include: - Both Sexes, Men, Women for - 15+ years - 15-24 years - 25+ years - Union Coverage - Non-Union Coverage - Permanent - Temporary - 1-19 Employees - 20-99 Employees - 100-500 Employees - > 500 Employees - Management - Business Finance and Admin - Nat. and Applied Sciences - Health - Social Sciences, Educ. - Art, Culture, Recreation, etc. - Sales and Services - Trades, Transportation, etc. - Unique to Primary Industry - Processing, Manuf. and Util. - Total - 0-8 years - Some High School - High School Graduate - Some Post-Secondary - Post-Secondary Certif or Diploma - University Degree - University Degree - Bachelors - University Degree - Post Grad. Labour Force Survey The Canadian Labour Force Survey was developed following the Second World War to satisfy a need for reliable and timely data on the labour market. Information was urgently required on the massive labour market changes involved in the transition from a war to a peace-time economy. The main objective of the LFS is to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive classifications - employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force - and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on each of these. Target population The LFS covers the civilian, non-institutionalized population 15 years of age and over. It is conducted nationwide, in both the provinces and the territories. Excluded from the survey's coverage are: persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements in the provinces; full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the institutionalized population. These groups together represent an exclusion of less than 2% of the Canadian population aged 15 and over. National Labour Force Survey estimates are derived using the results of the LFS in the provinces. Territorial LFS results are not included in the national estimates, but are published separately. Documentation – Labour Force Survey Instrument design The current LFS questionnaire was introduced in 1997. At that time, significant changes were made to the questionnaire in order to address existing data gaps, improve data quality and make more use of the power of Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI). The changes incorporated included the addition of many new questions. For example, questions were added to collect information about wage rates, union status, job permanency and workplace size for the main job of currently employed employees. Other additions included new questions to collect information about hirings and separations, and expanded response category lists that split existing codes into more detailed categories. Sampling This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design. Data sources Responding to this survey is mandatory. Data are collected directly from survey respondents. Data collection for the LFS is carried out each month during the week following the LFS reference week. The reference week is normally the week containing the 15th day of the month. LFS interviews are conducted by telephone by interviewers working out of a regional office CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews) site or by personal visit from a field interviewer. Since 2004, dwellings new to the sample in urban areas are contacted by telephone if the telephone number is available from administrative files, otherwise the dwelling is contacted by a field interviewer. The interviewer first obtains socio-demographic information for each household member and then obtains labour force information for all members aged 15 and over who are not members of the regular armed forces. The majority of subsequent interviews are conducted by telephone. In subsequent monthly interviews the interviewer confirms the socio-demographic information collected in the first month and collects the labour force information for the current month. Persons aged 70 and over are not asked the labour force questions in subsequent interviews, but rather their labour force information is carried over from their first interview. In each dwelling, information about all household members is usually obtained from one knowledgeable household member. Such 'proxy' reporting, which accounts for approximately 65% of the information collected, is used to avoid the high cost and extended time requirements that would be involved in repeat visits or calls necessary to obtain information directly from each respondent. Error detection The LFS CAI questionnaire incorporates many features that serve to maximize the quality of the data collected. There are many edits built into the CAI questionnaire to compare the entered data against unusual values, as well as to check for logical inconsistencies. Whenever an edit fails, the interviewer is prompted to correct the information (with the help of the respondent when necessary). For most edit failures the interviewer has the ability to override the edit failure if they cannot resolve the apparent discrepancy. As well, for most questions the interviewer has the ability to enter a response of Don't Know or Refused if the respondent does not answer the question. Once the data is received back at head office an extensive series of processing steps is undertaken to thoroughly verify each record received. This includes the coding of industry and occupation information and the review of interviewer entered notes. The editing and imputation phases of processing involve the identification of logically inconsistent or missing information items, and the correction of such conditions. Since the true value of each entry on the questionnaire is not known, the identification of errors can be done only through recognition of obvious inconsistencies (for example, a 15 year-old respondent who is recorded as having last worked in 1940). Estimation The final step in the processing of LFS data is the assignment of a weight to each individual record. This process involves several steps. Each record has an initial weight that corresponds to the inverse of the probability of selection. Adjustments are made to this weight to account for non-response that cannot be handled through imputation. In the final weighting step all of the record weights are adjusted so that the aggregate totals will match with independently derived population estimates for various age-sex groups by province and major sub-provincial areas. One feature of the LFS weighting process is that all individuals within a dwelling are assigned the same weight. In January 2000, the LFS introduced a new estimation method called Regression Composite Estimation. This new method was used to re-base all historical LFS data. It is described in the research paper ""Improvements to the Labour Force Survey (LFS)"", Catalogue no. 71F0031X. Additional improvements are introduced over time; they are described in different issues of the same publication. Data accuracy Since the LFS is a sample survey, all LFS estimates are subject to both sampling error and non-sampling errors. Non-sampling errors can arise at any stage of the collection and processing of the survey data. These include coverage errors, non-response errors, response errors, interviewer errors, coding errors and other types of processing errors. Non-response to the LFS tends to average about 10% of eligible households. Interviews are instructed to make all reasonable attempts to obtain LFS interviews with members of eligible households. Each month, after all attempts to obtain interviews have been made, a small number of non-responding households remain. For households non-responding to the LFS, a weight adjustment is applied to account for non-responding households. Sampling errors associated with survey estimates are measured using coefficients of variation for LFS estimates as a function of the size of the estimate and the geographic area.

(StatCan Product) Customization details: This information product has been customized to present information on the energy industry employment by NAICS (2, 3 and 4 digit) from 2001 to 2012. The following are the NAICS codes included: - 211 - 212 - 2121 - 2122 - 2123 - 213 - 21 - 2212 - 324 - 325 - 326 - 327 - 412 - 447 - 486 - 2211 For more information about the industries and sectors presented, contactOSI.Support@gov.ab.ca Labour Force Survey The Canadian Labour Force Survey was developed following the Second World War to satisfy a need for reliable and timely data on the labour market. Information was urgently required on the massive labour market changes involved in the transition from a war to a peace-time economy. The main objective of the LFS is to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive classifications - employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force - and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on each of these. Target population The LFS covers the civilian, non-institutionalized population 15 years of age and over. It is conducted nationwide, in both the provinces and the territories. Excluded from the survey's coverage are: persons living on reserves and other Aboriginal settlements in the provinces; full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the institutionalized population. These groups together represent an exclusion of less than 2% of the Canadian population aged 15 and over. National Labour Force Survey estimates are derived using the results of the LFS in the provinces. Territorial LFS results are not included in the national estimates, but are published separately. Documentation – Labour Force Survey Instrument design The current LFS questionnaire was introduced in 1997. At that time, significant changes were made to the questionnaire in order to address existing data gaps, improve data quality and make more use of the power of Computer Assisted Interviewing (CAI). The changes incorporated included the addition of many new questions. For example, questions were added to collect information about wage rates, union status, job permanency and workplace size for the main job of currently employed employees. Other additions included new questions to collect information about hirings and separations, and expanded response category lists that split existing codes into more detailed categories. Sampling This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design. Data sources Responding to this survey is mandatory. Data are collected directly from survey respondents. Data collection for the LFS is carried out each month during the week following the LFS reference week. The reference week is normally the week containing the 15th day of the month. LFS interviews are conducted by telephone by interviewers working out of a regional office CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews) site or by personal visit from a field interviewer. Since 2004, dwellings new to the sample in urban areas are contacted by telephone if the telephone number is available from administrative files, otherwise the dwelling is contacted by a field interviewer. The interviewer first obtains socio-demographic information for each household member and then obtains labour force information for all members aged 15 and over who are not members of the regular armed forces. The majority of subsequent interviews are conducted by telephone. In subsequent monthly interviews the interviewer confirms the socio-demographic information collected in the first month and collects the labour force information for the current month. Persons aged 70 and over are not asked the labour force questions in subsequent interviews, but rather their labour force information is carried over from their first interview. In each dwelling, information about all household members is usually obtained from one knowledgeable household member. Such 'proxy' reporting, which accounts for approximately 65% of the information collected, is used to avoid the high cost and extended time requirements that would be involved in repeat visits or calls necessary to obtain information directly from each respondent. Error detection The LFS CAI questionnaire incorporates many features that serve to maximize the quality of the data collected. There are many edits built into the CAI questionnaire to compare the entered data against unusual values, as well as to check for logical inconsistencies. Whenever an edit fails, the interviewer is prompted to correct the information (with the help of the respondent when necessary). For most edit failures the interviewer has the ability to override the edit failure if they cannot resolve the apparent discrepancy. As well, for most questions the interviewer has the ability to enter a response of Don't Know or Refused if the respondent does not answer the question. Once the data is received back at head office an extensive series of processing steps is undertaken to thoroughly verify each record received. This includes the coding of industry and occupation information and the review of interviewer entered notes. The editing and imputation phases of processing involve the identification of logically inconsistent or missing information items, and the correction of such conditions. Since the true value of each entry on the questionnaire is not known, the identification of errors can be done only through recognition of obvious inconsistencies (for example, a 15 year-old respondent who is recorded as having last worked in 1940). Estimation The final step in the processing of LFS data is the assignment of a weight to each individual record. This process involves several steps. Each record has an initial weight that corresponds to the inverse of the probability of selection. Adjustments are made to this weight to account for non-response that cannot be handled through imputation. In the final weighting step all of the record weights are adjusted so that the aggregate totals will match with independently derived population estimates for various age-sex groups by province and major sub-provincial areas. One feature of the LFS weighting process is that all individuals within a dwelling are assigned the same weight. In January 2000, the LFS introduced a new estimation method called Regression Composite Estimation. This new method was used to re-base all historical LFS data. It is described in the research paper ""Improvements to the Labour Force Survey (LFS)"", Catalogue no. 71F0031X. Additional improvements are introduced over time; they are described in different issues of the same publication. Data accuracy Since the LFS is a sample survey, all LFS estimates are subject to both sampling error and non-sampling errors. Non-sampling errors can arise at any stage of the collection and processing of the survey data. These include coverage errors, non-response errors, response errors, interviewer errors, coding errors and other types of processing errors. Non-response to the LFS tends to average about 10% of eligible households. Interviews are instructed to make all reasonable attempts to obtain LFS interviews with members of eligible households. Each month, after all attempts to obtain interviews have been made, a small number of non-responding households remain. For households non-responding to the LFS, a weight adjustment is applied to account for non-responding households. Sampling errors associated with survey estimates are measured using coefficients of variation for LFS estimates as a function of the size of the estimate and the geographic area.