Not applicable

Refers to whether a person was employed, unemployed or not in the labour force during the week of Sunday, May 1 to Saturday, May 7, 2011.

Early enumeration was conducted in remote, isolated parts of the provinces and territories in February, March and April 2011. When enumeration has taken place before May 2011, the reference date used is the date on which the household was enumerated.

Reported in: 2011

Reported for: Population aged 15 years and over in private households

Question nos.: Derived variable: Questions 34 to 38

Responses: For the values for the Labour force status variable see:

Table 2.2 Values for the Labour force status variable

Remarks:

1. For more information, see the definitions for Employed, Unemployed and Not in the labour force variables.

2. The Labour force status categories were derived from the responses to the following questions on the National Household Survey questionnaire:

• Hours worked for pay or in self-employment (Question 34)
• On temporary lay-off or absent from job or business (Question 35)
• New job to start in four weeks or less (Question 36)
• Looked for full-time or part-time paid work in the past four weeks (Question 37)
• Reasons unable to start a job (Question 38).

3. See Figure 2.1 for the components of population and Labour force status variable.

4. For information on the comparability of the 2011 National Household Survey labour force status data with those of the Labour Force Survey, see Appendix 2.1.

Table 2.2 Values for the Labour force status variable



Source: Statistics Canada, National Household Survey, 2011.

Information indicating the person's most advanced certificate, diploma or degree.

Information indicating the person's most advanced certificate, diploma or degree. This is a derived variable obtained from the educational qualifications questions, which asked for all certificates, diplomas and degrees to be reported. The general hierarchy used in deriving this variable (high school graduation, trades, college, university) is loosely tied to the 'in-class' duration of the various types of education. At the detailed level, someone who has completed one type of certificate, diploma or degree will not necessarily have completed the credentials listed below it in the hierarchy. For example, a registered apprenticeship graduate may not have completed a high school certificate or diploma, nor does an individual with a master's degree necessarily have a 'certificate or diploma above the bachelor's level.' Although the hierarchy may not fit all programs perfectly, it gives a general measure of educational attainment.

Reported in: 2011

Reported for: Population aged 15 years and over in private households

Question nos.: Derived variable: Questions 27, 28, 29 and 30

Responses: No certificate, diploma or degree; High school diploma or equivalent; Registered Apprenticeship certificate; Other trades certificate or diploma; College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma from a program of 3 months to less than 1 year; College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma from a program of 1 year to 2 years; College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma from a program of more than 2 years; University certificate or diploma below bachelor level; Bachelors degree; University certificate or diploma above bachelor level; Degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or optometry; Masters degree; Earned doctorate.

Remarks: The following qualifications are to be noted:

A. For this variable, the category 'High school diploma or equivalent' includes persons who have completed the requirements for graduation from a secondary school or the equivalent, but no postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree. Examples of secondary (high) school equivalency certificates are General Educational Development (GED) and Adult Basic Education (ABE). A secondary (high) school diploma or graduation certificate or equivalent is sometimes classified as junior or senior matriculation, general or technical-commercial.

B. The ' Registered Apprenticeship certificate category includes Journeypersons designation. A journeymans or journeypersons certificate in the trades is obtained
through successful completion of the examinations for a Certificate of Qualification (COQ). Candidates for the exam must have several years of work experience in the trade or have received their registered apprenticeship certificate through a combination of on-the-job training and in-school training.

C. Other trades certificates or diplomas such as pre-employment or vocational certificates and diplomas are brief trade programs completed at community colleges, institutes of technology, vocational centres, and similar institutions.

D. College, CEGEP and other non-university certificates or diplomas are obtained from: a community college; a CEGEP (both general and technical); an institute of technology; a school of nursing; a private business school; a private or public trade school; or a vocational school. Included in this category are teaching and nursing certificates awarded by provincial departments of education, with the exception of teachers' or nurses qualifications obtained at university-affiliated faculties of education or nursing. College certificates or diplomas of two years or more usually have a minimum entrance requirement of a secondary (high) school diploma or its equivalent.

E. University certificates or diplomas (below or above bachelor level) are awarded for non-degree programs of study completed through a university. They are often connected with professional associations in fields such as accounting, banking, insurance or public administration. If the university certificate or diploma program does not require a bachelor degree to enrol, then it is classified as below the bachelor level. If a university certificate or diploma program normally requires a bachelor's degree as a prerequisite, then it is classified as above the bachelor level.

F. University degrees are obtained through universities and other degree-granting institutions.

G. Examples of postsecondary institutions include community colleges, institutes of technology, CEGEPs, schools of nursing, private or public trade schools, private business colleges, and universities.

For any comments on data quality for this variable, refer to the Education Reference Guide, 2011 National Household Survey.

Not applicable

The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) has been designed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an instrument suitable for assembling, compiling and presenting educational statistics both within countries and internationally. ISCED 1997 allows the classification of education programs by two variables: level of education (revised in ISCED 2011) and fields of education. Major field of study data from the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS) have not been explicitly coded using the ISCED 1997 fields of education. Instead, Statistics Canada has developed a theoretical concordance between the ISCED 1997 fields of education and the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2000. A concordance between the ISCED 1997 fields of education and the CIP Canada 2011 is also planned.

Reported in: 2011

Reported for: Population aged 15 years and over in private households

Question no.: Derived variable: Question 31

Responses: See 'Remarks' for more details on how the concordance between the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) and the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) can be accessed. Major field of study was classified using the CIP Canada 2011 and CIP Canada 2000 in the 2011 National Household Survey. CIP codes for programs that are considered to be non-postsecondary level were not used for the NHS. Persons without a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree selected 'No certificate, diploma or degree higher than high school' to the question on major field of study.

Remarks: In addition to the United Nations, the ISCED classification system is supported by other international agencies, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT). Member states are invited to facilitate the use of the ISCED classification so as to increase international comparability.

This concordance or any other national or international concordances relating to the CIP Canada 2000 or CIP Canada 2011 will be made available and updated, as necessary, on Statistics Canada's website: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/concordances-classifications-eng.htm.

For any comments on data quality for the variable 'Major field of study,' refer to the Education Reference Guide, 2011 National Household Survey.

Main subject area of the person's highest postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree (historical classification).

Refers to the predominant discipline or area of learning or training of a person's highest completed postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree classified according to the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2000.

Reported in: 2011

Reported for: Population aged 15 years and over in private households

Question no.: Coded variable: Question 31

Responses: Major field of study was a write-in response. This variable was created by assigning a field of study code from the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), Canada 2000. See Appendix 2.3 Major field of study - Classification based on the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2000 codes for the CIP Canada 2000 structure. Respondents selected 'No certificate, diploma or degree higher than high school' for persons without a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.

Remarks: The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) was developed in 1980 by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the United States. NCES released updates in 1985, 1990 and 2000. CIP Canada 2000 was the first Canadian version of this classification. CIP Canada 2011 is an updated and revised version (see Major field of study (based on the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2011)). The CIP is a classification benchmark that serves to facilitate the comparison of data on educational stocks and flow between the three countries that are signatories to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the United States, Canada and Mexico, while maintaining relevant detail on educational output within each country.

For the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS), Major field of study is provided using both CIP Canada 2011 and the older CIP Canada 2000 to facilitate comparison with other data sources.

CIP Canada 2000 is subdivided into three levels: 49 'series' (a series represents the most general groupings of programs that are related in subject area, 2-digit codes); 385 'subseries' (an intermediate grouping of programs that have comparable content and objectives, 4-digit codes); and over 1,400 instructional program classes(which represent the most detailed and specific subjects of study, 6-digit codes). A variant of the CIP Canada 2000 aggregates the codes into 13 'primary groupings'. The 12 primary groupings which are used for the NHS 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; and Other. For the NHS, 'Other' excludes programs of study that are below the postsecondary level. The thirteenth grouping which includes courses in 'Personal improvement and leisure' is not used.

The help information for the NHS questionnaire instructed respondents to be as specific as possible in indicating a subfield or subcategory of specialization within a broad discipline or area of training, especially for graduate studies or other advanced training. The degree to which respondents answered according to this criterion is reflected in the frequency of counts for the CIP categories.

This 'Major field of study' variable can be used either independently or in conjunction with the Highest certificate, diploma or degree variable. When the latter is used with 'Major field of study,' it should be noted that different fields of study will be more common for different types of postsecondary qualifications. At the detailed program level, some programs are only offered by certain kinds of institutions.

Theoretical concordances showing the conceptual relationships between CIP Canada 2000 and CIP Canada 2011 based on instructional program class definitions will be made available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/concordances-classifications-eng.htm.

For more information on the CIP classifications, see the Classification of Instructional Programs, Canada, 2000, Catalogue no. 12-590-XPE and the Classification of Instructional Programs, Canada 2011, Catalogue no. 12-590-X available from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/classification-eng.htm.

For any comments on data quality for variable, refer to the this Education Reference Guide, 2011 National Household Survey.

Main subject area of the person's highest postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.

Refers to the predominant discipline or area of learning or training of a person's highest completed postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree classified according to the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2011.

Reported in: 2011

Reported for: Population aged 15 years and over in private households

Question no.: Coded variable: Question 31

Responses: Major field of study was a write-in response. This variable was created by assigning a field of study code from the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), Canada 2011. See Appendix 2.2 Major field of study - Classification based on the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Canada 2011 codes for the CIP Canada 2011 structure. Respondents selected 'No certificate, diploma or degree higher than high school' for persons without a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree.

Remarks: The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) was developed in 1980 by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in the United States. NCES released updates in 1985, 1990 and 2000. CIP Canada 2000 was the first Canadian version of this classification. CIP Canada 2011 is an updated and revised version. The CIP is a classification benchmark that serves to facilitate the comparison of data on educational stocks and flow between the three countries that are signatories to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the United States, Canada and Mexico, while maintaining relevant detail on educational output within each country.
For the 2011 National Household Survey (NHS), Major field of study is provided using both CIP Canada 2011 and the older CIP Canada 2000 to facilitate comparison with other data sources.

CIP Canada 2011 is subdivided into three levels: 49 'series' (a series represents the most general groupings of programs that are related in subject area, 2-digit codes); 387 'subseries' (an intermediate grouping of programs that have comparable content and objectives, 4-digit codes); and over 1,600 instructional program classes (which represent the most detailed and specific subjects of study, 6-digit codes). A variant of the CIP Canada 2011 aggregates the codes into 13 'primary groupings'. The 12 primary groupings which are used for the NHS 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 and related fields; Personal, protective and transportation services; and Other. For the NHS, 'Other' excludes programs of study that are below the postsecondary level. The thirteenth grouping which includes courses in 'Personal improvement and leisure' is not used.

The help information for the NHS questionnaire instructed respondents to be as specific as possible in indicating a subfield or subcategory of specialization within a broad discipline or area of training, especially for graduate studies or other advanced training. The degree to which respondents answered according to this criterion is reflected in the frequency of counts for the CIP categories.

This 'Major field of study' variable can be used either independently or in conjunction with the Highest certificate, diploma or degree variable. When the latter is used with 'Major field of study,' it should be noted that different fields of study will be more common for different types of postsecondary qualifications. At the detailed program level, some programs are only offered by certain kinds of institutions.

Theoretical concordances showing the conceptual relationships between CIP Canada 2000 and CIP Canada 2011 based on instructional program class definitions will be made available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/concordances-classifications-eng.htm.

For more information on the CIP classifications, see the Classification of Instructional Programs, Canada, 2000, Catalogue no. 12-590-XPE and the Classification of Instructional Programs, Canada 2011, Catalogue no. 12-590-X available from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/classification-eng.htm.

For any comments on data quality for this variable, refer to the Education Reference Guide, 2011 National Household Survey.