London's Push for Inclusive Employment in Light of 2021 Census Data

The 2021 Canadian Census has provided us with a great look into our city’s current employment trends, especially when it comes to the immigrant and racialized population. Let’s take a closer look at how the census results show that immigrants and racialized people are more likely to be unemployed in London than their non-immigrant and non-racialized counterparts.

Immigrants make up the largest share of the population in over 150 years and continue to shape who we are as Canadians. Last year, there were 103,000 immigrants in London, representing 25% of our city’s population. Employment rates for both immigrants and visible minorities have generally been lower than for the overall population. The 2021 Census shows that the unemployment rate in London is 12.4%; however, the rate is higher for immigrants (13.1%) than for non-immigrants (12.1%). These groups face greater barriers to employment, such as discrimination or a lack of Canadian work experience. Some employers prefer to hire candidates with experience working in Canada, which can be difficult for newcomers to obtain. Immigrants may also face language barriers that make it challenging to communicate with potential employers or navigate the job market. 

Newcomers are not always aware of all the services available to them. Will Employment Solutions is an employment agency in London that prepares job seekers, with a specialty for immigrant talent, to find meaningful work in Ontario. 

Statistics Canada shows that the biggest difference in unemployment rate (7.6%) is among non-immigrants. The unemployment rate of the racialized non-immigrant population is 19.3%, whereas for the White non-immigrant population, it is 11.7%. We can see that the country’s economy has had an overall detrimental impact on certain communities, with higher rates of unemployment among immigrants and visible minorities. This demonstrates how important it is to understand these disparities so we can create effective policies that improve economic opportunities for everyone.

The 2021 Census has provided a more complete picture of the employment situation for immigrants and visible minorities in Canada. There is still a lot more work to be done in order to close the gap completely. One of our main missions at the London and Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership is to raise awareness and improve access to education and training programs. The Employment Sub-council enhances communication between and among immigrants, service providers, employers and government and develops key initiatives to reduce discrimination and racism in all forms in the community and its workplaces. Enhancing workplace diversity initiatives can help create more inclusive workplaces for immigrants and racialized people. A welcoming workplace is essential to fostering an environment of growth, connection and productivity and it starts with the leadership setting the tone from the top down.