Visual minorities earn nearly 20% less than their white counterparts, according to a study released March 21 by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Wellesley Institute.
Ethnic Canadians also have less job security and disproportionately work in blue-collar jobs, according to the report, which collected data from the 2006 census.
More visible minorities (67.3%) are in the workforce compared with white workers (66.7%), the report noted.
Despite their willingness to work, visible minorities have a greater unemployment rate, 8.6%, compared with an unemployment rate of 6.2% for white people.
But immigrant services organization S.U.C.C.E.S.S. doesn’t think that being a visible minority should be a barrier to finding success (see “Attitude key to immigrant success: report” – BIV Business Today; Thursday, December 2, 2010).
According to S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’ 2010 study, visible minorities must recognize that finding fulfilling, high-paying work is harder for them so it is important to learn English, stay positive and take risks.