Labour Market Information for Career Decision Making

Overview of Government LMI Resources

Statistics Canada and Human Resources Development Canada are the two major sources of government labour market information. Both departments produce information at the national, regional and local levels.

Much of the raw data used by HRDC comes from Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS is a monthly survey (sample) designed to represent all persons in the population 15 years of age and over. The survey is used to determine the unemployment rate, number of employed and a variety of other statistics. The interviews for the survey are carried out in approximately 52,800 households across the country.

Other Statistics Canada sources used by HRDC and other government departments include census statistics, Labour Market Activity Survey (LMAS), Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID), the Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) and the National Graduate Survey. To be useful as LMI, these data usually require further analysis.

These data sources provide the basis for many Statistics Canada and HRDC publications useful for job searches and career planning. Examples of these publications can be found on The Human Resources Development Canada Web site http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/home.shtml.

The site has several subheadings:

• Work;
• Income Support;
• Labour Market Information;
• Learning Opportunities;
• Programs & Services;
• Services for Employers and Entrepreneurs;
• Community Partners and Partnerships;
• Local Sites in Our Region; and
• HRDC Sites Across Canada.

From the LMI section, the "megasites" link leads to the National Labour Market Information System. The site has a map and users can choose the province and then the region they want to investigate. An example of the type of LMI provided by HRDC at the provincial level and the regional level follows.

Choosing the Province of New Brunswick LMI Leads to:
Labour Market Information in New Brunswick;
Human Resource Profile of New Brunswick;
New Brunswick Job Futures.

Choosing Southeastern New Brunswick LMI Leads to:
The Information Services Unit tracks local employment and economic news in the Southeastern Region of New Brunswick. It produces a variety of information packages to help people looking for work and to give employers an idea of the economic environment in the area. Census data, employer lists, wage ranges and occupational information are just some of the kinds of information available. Information topics include the following.

Community
Up-to-date community events and news, demographic, statistical and narrative information, such as news bulletins, monthly reports and community profiles.

Occupations
Information about occupations in the area, such as occupational profiles, wage reports and employer lists.

Job Search
Job search information, such as general trends, employability skills and suggested resources.