Youth Labour Market Statistics (YouthSTATS database)

Establishing that a person has not “transited” until they are settled in a job that meets very basic criteria of stability or satisfaction, the school-to-work analytical framework introduces a new qualitative element to the standard definition of labour market transition. The definition acknowledges the transitory state of current students and the subjectivity of job satisfaction.  The transition is thus considered complete only when a young person has attained a stable job based on a written contract of duration greater than 12 months or has attained temporary job deemed satisfactory based on the young respondent’s willingness to stay in it. Young persons classified as “in transition” are the ones who have begun the transition process but who have not yet completed it. Finally, the remaining youth are the ones who have not started their transition yet. 

It is important to note that the stages of transition differ from the standard framework for labour force status. While those classified as transited are all employed, those classified as in transition may be employed, unemployed, or outside the labour force, and those for whom the transition has not yet started are necessarily classified as outside the labour force. 

The other indicator focuses on stages of transition, which can be further broken down to better understand youth transitions. The transited population is subdivided according to two types of transition:

(a) youth transited in a stable job; and

(b) youth transited in satisfactory self-employment or a satisfactory temporary job.

A similar decomposition is made for youth in transition. They are further classified into four forms: youth in transition that are

(c) in school and currently in the labour force (employed or not employed but available and looking for a job);

(d) not in school and unemployed (looking and available for a job);

(e) not in school and currently employed in a temporary and unsatisfactory job; and

(f) not in school but with the intention to be employed in the future.

Finally, the youth population that has not yet started the transition is classified into those who

(g) are still in school and outside the labour force (not employed and not available and/or looking for a job); and those who are

(h) not in school, outside the labour force and with no intention of looking for a job.