Found In Translation: Employment Discrimination in Canada

We know you’re busy, but that you’re also keen to learn more about the world of equity, diversity, and inclusion, so we’re starting Found in Translation. This new segment shares highlights from our literature reviews that are both relevant and accessible.

This month, we’d like to amplify a piece of research about employment discrimination in Canada. In their article Applying for a Job in Canada with an Asian Name Banerjee, Reitz, & Oreopoulos (2017) point out that those with non-European sounding names can face significantly more barriers to getting called for an interview than those with European sounding names. In their study, they sent simulated resumés (that is, resumés that did not represent real people) to online job postings in several Canadian cities. The resumés contained standardized qualifications and varied only in the suggested ethnic character of the applicant’s name. The fictitious applicants with Asian (Chinese, Indian, Pakistani) names on their resumés had a dramatically lower call back rate (28% less) to an interview then those with Anglo-Canadian names (remember, ALL that differed in these resumés were the names). When they modified the Asian-named applicants’ education and work experience so that it was international (ie. not Canadian) the same candidates were found to be subjected to even more severe discrimination. In fact, they were 62.5% less likely to be called for an interview than Anglo-Canadian named applicants with Canadian qualifications and experience.

These stats point to very harmful realities in the Canadian labour market - realities that must be met head on before meaningful change can happen.

If you feel your organization would benefit from knowing more about this topic (or other equity, diversity, or inclusion-related topics) contact us to talk about how we can help you with a customized literature review - or sign up here to be among the first notified about our future Found in Translation posts.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to move forward confident that you are making decisions based on evidence?

To read more about this study visit:

Reitz, J.G., Oreopoulos, P., & Banerjee R. (2017, March 30). Applying for a job in Canada with an Asian name. Policy Options. Retrieved from: https://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/march-2017/applying-for-a-job-in-canada-with-an-asian-name