More than one-fifth of Canadian workers are in precarious jobs despite higher education and experience levels, according to a new survey from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The report, released Tuesday morning, found that 22% of Canadians are currently in jobs lacking economic security such as steady income, pension, benefits or sick pay. Of that group, 26% work full time, 40% are employed in the private sector, while 30% are in the public sector. The survey also found there was a higher rate of precarious workers aged 55 and older.
"We tend to think of precarious work as something that happens in low-wage, low-skill jobs, but the findings from this national survey suggest that there is no safe harbour," CCPA-Ontario Senior Researcher Ricardo Tranjan, said in a written news release. "Even highly educated professionals are experiencing economic insecurity and unstable working conditions."
Indeed, 58% of all respondents said employment in their field is less secure than it used to be. And the majority of workers with precarious jobs (60%) don’t have a pension plan, RRSP or sick pay.
While there are precarious positions in all professions, the survey found a high concentration in the education (28%), health-care (18%), and business and finance administration (19%) fields.
The survey also found there are more female workers with precarious roles (60%) than men.
