Section 6
Mobility

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Mobility between province of residence before registration and province of registration
Mobility between province of registration and province of apprenticeship training
Mobility between province of registration and current province of work

There is a strong demand for skilled labour in Canadian regions experiencing economic booms such as the Prairie Provinces in their energy and construction sectors. Labour mobility is especially relevant for these regions which need to attract workers from other areas of the country.

Labour mobility refers to the freedom of workers to practice their occupation wherever the opportunities exist in Canada. The Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) stipulates that any qualified worker in an occupation in one province or territory must be granted access to similar employment opportunities in any other Canadian jurisdiction. The AIT covers both professional occupations and the skilled trades.

The 2007 NAS sought to measure the labour mobility of apprentices between provinces and territories. To study apprenticeship labour mobility, the NAS asked respondents to indicate the province or territory where they lived before registering in their apprenticeship program, the province or territory where they did their apprenticeship training, and the province or territory where completers and discontinuers are currently working.

For the purpose of analysis, Tables A.1.6.1.1, A.1.6.1.2, A.1.6.2.1, A.1.6.2.2, A.1.6.3.1 and A.1.6.3.2 (see Appendix 1) were developed based on Statistics Canada's standard economic regions:

• Atlantic – including Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick
• Québec
• Ontario
• Prairies – including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
• British Columbia
• Territories – including the Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut

Mobility between province of residence before registration and province of registration

The NAS asked questions to compare the province or territory where apprentices registered to the jurisdiction where they had lived for the previous 12 months or more.

Appendix 1 Table A.1.6.1.1 shows that in Quebec about 2% of the apprentices in each group moved to register in another jurisdiction while the majority (about 98%) registered in the province where they had been living.

Appendix 1 Table A.1.6.1.2 shows that, of those who moved, 77% of long-term continuers, 79% of completers, and 76% of discontinuers registered in Ontario. About 23% of long-term continuers and 21% of completers indicated that they originally lived outside of Canada and entered the country to register in their programs.

Mobility between province of registration and province of apprenticeship training

The NAS also asked questions to compare the apprentices' province of registration with the province where they work or worked with an employer to do their on-the-job apprenticeship training.

Appendix 1 Table A.1.6.2.1 and Table A.1.6.2.2 show that almost all of the apprentices, 98% of long-term continuers and 99% of completers and discontinuers, did their on-the-job training in the province where they were registered. Of those who moved, 82% of long-term continuers, 88% of completers, and 80% of discontinuers did on-the-job training in Ontario.

Mobility between province of registration and current province of work

The NAS also sought to measure the mobility of apprentices who found employment after either completing or discontinuing their apprenticeship programs. The survey asked the completers and discontinuers to indicate where their current job or most recent job was located and compared this with their province of registration.

Appendix 1 Table A.1.6.3.1 and Table A.1.6.3.2 show that almost all completers and discontinuers found work in their province of registration, 98% and 96% respectively. Of those who moved, 53% of completers and 52% of discontinuers found work in Ontario. Twenty-six percent of completers and 20% of discontinuers found work in the Prairie region, and 14% of completers found work in British Columbia.