Persons with disabilities are more likely to be employed than in the past
According to the 2022 CSD, 62% of working-age adults (25 to 64 years of age) with disabilities were employed, compared with 78% of persons without disabilities (Chart 3). The employment rate for persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 years was up 3 percentage points from 2017, narrowing the gap between the employment rates of persons with disabilities and of persons without disabilities by 5 percentage points. The results from the 2022 CSD align with recent findings from the Labour Force Survey.
Information regarding labour force status comes from data linked to the CSD and the 2016 and 2021 censuses and, therefore, reflects the reference weeks for the censuses, May 1 to May 7, 2016, and May 2 to May 8, 2021.
Chart 3 Chart 3: Labour force status for persons aged 25 to 64 years with and without a disability, 2017 and 2022
Labour force status for persons aged 25 to 64 years with and without a disability, 2017 and 2022
Chart 3: Labour force status for persons aged 25 to 64 years with and without a disability, 2017 and 2022
The employment rate was lower among people with more severe disabilities. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of persons with milder disabilities aged 25 to 64 years were employed, while less than half (42%) of persons with more severe disabilities aged 25 to 64 years were employed.
The 2022 CSD included information such as the need for aids, assistive devices and technologies, and workplace accommodations that provide context for better understanding the experiences of persons with disabilities in the labour market. It is also important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the labour market through labour disruptions and increased remote work opportunities in some sectors from 2017 to 2022.
A report with more detailed analysis relating to demographics, income and employment of persons with and without disabilities in Canada will be released in 2024.