New approach for constructing Canadian working life tables,1986–1987

Working life tables are a useful analytical tool in estimating indices such as the frequency of entries and exits from the labour force and the average length of individual working life. The latest Canadian working life tables have been published by Statistics Canada and were based on 1971 data. Since then important transformations have occurred in the pattern of Canadian labour force participation rates. Females have substantially increased their participation in the labour force and earlier retirement has reduced the participation rates of older male workers.

This paper presents results from the first application of multi state methodology to Canadian labour force data, making use of a new data set – the Labour Market Activity Survey. Comparison between conventional and multistate approaches reveals that the latter approach, besides providing estimates of female work patterns, gives more reliable estimates than the conventional model.