Black populations constitute the second-largest racialized group (5.4%) in the Canadian labour force, reaching 1.2 million people in August 2025, with most (69.1%) being of core working age. The Black populations' employment rate has been lower and their unemployment rate has been higher compared with those of the total racialized and total Canadian populations. For example, in August, the employment rate for the Black populations in Canada aged 25 to 54 years was 77.2%, compared with 82.8% for the overall population in this age group.
Using disaggregated 2021 Census of Population data, this analysis finds labour market outcomes vary substantively for subgroups of Black populations of core working age identified at the intersection of place of birth, immigrant status and generational status. Specifically, these results focus on immigrants born in the Caribbean, immigrants born in Africa, immigrants born elsewhere in the world, Canadian-born populations of the second and third generations or more, and non-permanent residents (NPRs).
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