The Workplace Survey: Job Vacancies and Skills Shortages

Labour Statistics Division

If necessary, please make address label corrections in the boxes below (please print)

Legal Business Name

Operational Business Name (if different from legal business name)

• Contact Person
  • First Name
  • Last Name
• Address
• City
• Province
• Postal Code

Preferred Language of Correspondence

• English
• French

Survey Objective

The Workplace Survey will provide valuable information on the best practices of businesses by looking at the characteristics that help firms succeed. It will collect information from Canadian employers on a range of workplace issues. Survey results will provide unique insights into the relationship between employment practices and labour demand, as well as information on job vacancy, skill shortages, training and human resource practices. You as the respondent will benefit from completing this questionnaire by having the ability to benchmark your company against other companies in the same industry.

Confidentiality

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from publishing any statistics which would divulge information relating to any identifiable business without the previous written consent of that business. The data reported on this questionnaire will be treated in strict confidence. They will be used exclusively for statistical purposes and will be published in an aggregate form only.

Your Participation

The participation of your business in this survey is critical to ensure that the results are an accurate reflection of your industry, region and type of business. As with most business surveys conducted by Statistics Canada, this survey is mandatory. We thank you for your understanding and support.

Instructions

Please fill out this questionnaire and return it to Statistics Canada within the next 15 days using the self addressed envelope. If you have any difficulty answering specific questions, do not hesitate to phone 1-877-992-3999.

Coverage

Please complete this questionnaire for the business location appearing on the label of this questionnaire. For the purpose of this survey, “location” refers to the specific address appearing on the label of this questionnaire.

Record Linkages

To enhance the data from this survey, Statistics Canada may combine it with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.

Need Help?

We would be happy to answer any questions you might have. The telephone number is: 1-877-992-3999.

You may also visit Statistics Canada’s website at www.statcan.gc.ca for this questionnaire and FAQ’s.

Concepts and definitions for your reference.

Employee

Paid employees including full-time, part-time, permanent, non-permanent and seasonal employees, of this location receiving a T4 statement from Canada Revenue Agency who work on-site or off-site and employees who are on paid leave.

Please do not include employees who only receive a T4A statement.

Full-time employee: An employee working 30 or more hours per week.

Part-time employee: An employee working less than 30 hours per week.

Permanent employee: An employee who has no set termination date (include tenured teachers).

Non-permanent employee: An employee who has a set termination date or an agreement covering the period of employment (temporary, seasonal or casual).

Independent Contractor:

A person providing products or services under contract at your location but for whom the completion of a Canada Revenue Agency T4 statement is not required. This person may be an employee of another business or a home worker (computer consultant, piecework seamstress, etc.). Some independent contractors may receive a T4A statement from your location.

Managers

Include: President(s), executives, senior managers and managers that receive a T4 statement.

Senior Managers

Include the most senior executive in the workplace and other senior managers whose responsibilities would normally span more than one internal department. Most small workplaces would only have one senior manager. Examples: president of single location company; retail store manager; plant manager; senior partners in business services firms; production superintendent; senior administrator in public services enterprise; as well as vice-presidents, assistant directors, partners and assistant administrators whose responsibilities cover more than one domain.

Managers

Managers generally report to senior management and are responsible for a single domain or department. This category would normally include assistant directors or the equivalent in small workplaces. Examples: department heads or managers (engineering, accounting, R&D, personnel, computing, marketing, sales, etc.); heads or managers of specific product lines; junior partners or assistant administrators with responsibilities for a specific domain; and assistant directors in small locations (without an internal department structure).

Professionals

Employees whose duties would normally require at least an undergraduate university degree or the equivalent. Examples: medical doctors, lawyers, accountants, architects, engineers, economists, science professionals, psychologists, sociologists, registered nurses, marketing and market research professionals, nurse-practitioners and teaching professionals, professors and teaching assistants. Include computing professionals whose duties would normally require a minimum of an undergraduate degree in computer science. Include professional project managers and supervisors not included in senior managers and specialist managers.

Technical/Trades

Technical/Semi-Professional Workers

Employees whose duties would normally require a community college certificate/diploma or the equivalent and who are not primarily involved in the marketing/sales of a product or service. Examples: technologists, lab technicians, registered nursing assistants, audio-visual technicians; trained caregivers; technology trainers; legal secretaries and draftspersons. Include computer programmers and operators whose duties would normally require a community college certificate or diploma. Include semi-professional project managers and supervisors not included in managers and professionals.

Trades/Skilled Production, Operation and Maintenance

Non-supervisory staff in positions requiring vocational/trades accreditation or the equivalent. Examples: construction trades, machinists, machine operators, stationary engineers, mechanics, beauticians/barbers/hairdressers, butchers and repair workers that do not normally require a post-secondary certificate or diploma.

A certificate of qualification for a skilled trade is considered a post-secondary certificate. These certificates are issued following the completion of an apprenticeship program. There are a lot of skilled trades that do require a post-secondary certificate (electrician, power line technician, etc.).

Sales/Marketing

Non-supervisory staff primarily engaged in the marketing/sales of products or services. Examples: retail sales clerks, waiters/waitresses, telemarketers, real estate agents, insurance agents and loans officers. Exclude employees whose duties require a university degree and professional accreditation (professionals), those whose duties require a community college certificate/diploma (technical/trades) and those whose duties are primarily supervisory (managers).

Administrative/Clerical

Non-supervisory staff providing clerical or administrative services for internal or external clients. Examples: secretaries, office equipment operators, filing clerks, account clerks, receptionists, desk clerks, mail and distribution clerks, bill collectors and claims adjusters. Duties do not normally require post-secondary education or responsibility for marketing or sales.

Production or Service Workers with no Trade/Certification

Non-supervisory staff in production, maintenance or service positions that require no vocational/trades accreditation or the equivalent in on-the-job training. Examples: assemblers, packers, sorters, pilers, machine operators, transportation equipment operators (drivers), warehousemen, cleaning staff, food service counter attendants, doormen and service station attendants. Jobs in this category require no more than a one-month training for someone with no trade or vocational accreditation.

Other

If you have a large number of employees who do not correspond to any of the above categories, please list their occupation(s) in the space provided below.

The Workplace Survey

For the purpose of this survey, “location” refers to the specific address appearing on the label of this questionnaire. Please consult the label on the front page. Please report for only this address. Do not combine information with any other location. If there is a question you cannot answer for the specified address, please skip to the next one.

Section A: Workforce Characteristics

Demographics

This section includes questions relating to the characteristics of the employees at this location.

A1. Was this location in operation during the entire 12-month period between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010?

• Yes Go to Question A2
• No Specify period of operation
  From: (yyyy/mm/dd)
  To: (yyyy/mm/dd)

A2. In the last pay period of December 2010 and December 2009, how many employees receiving a T4 statement were employed at this location?

Please see the definitions in the box below.

• December 2010 (If your answer is zero, we thank you for you cooperation. Please return the questionnaire using the enclosed postage paid envelope).
• December 2009

Employee: Paid employees including full-time, part-time, permanent, non-permanent and seasonal employees, of this location receiving a T4 statement (but not a T4A statement) who work on-site or off-site and employees who are on paid leave.

Do not include independent contractors.

Independent Contractor: A person providing products or services under contract at your location but for whom the completion of a Canada Revenue Agency T4 statement is not required. This person may be an employee of another business or a home worker (computer consultant, piecework seamstress, etc.). Independent contractors should not be included in Questions A1 to A9. Independent contractors may receive a T4A statement from this location.

A3. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many were male and how many were female?  

Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

• Male
• Female

A4. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many were in the following categories?

If you are unable to provide an actual gender breakdown, your best estimate is acceptable.
Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Male
Female
Total

• Under 25 years of age
• 25 to 44 years of age
• 45 to 54 years of age
• 55 to 64 years of age
• 65 to 69 years of age
• 70 years of age and older

All employees
Please make sure that the totals reported here agree with the totals reported in Questions A2 and A3.

A5. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many were in the following categories?

If you are unable to provide an actual gender breakdown, your best estimate is acceptable.
Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Full-time employee: An employee working 30 or more hours per week.
Part-time employee: An employee working less than 30 hours per week.
Permanent employee: An employee who has no set termination date (include tenured teachers).
Non-permanent employee: An employee who has a set termination date or an agreement covering the period of employment (temporary, seasonal or casual).

Male
Female
Total

• Permanent employees
  Full-time
  Part-time
• Non-permanent employees
  Full-time
  Part-time
• All employees
  Please make sure that the totals reported here agree with the totals reported in Questions A2 and A3.

A6. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many were in the following categories?

If you are unable to provide an actual gender breakdown, your best estimate is acceptable.
Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Male
Female
Total

• Managers
• Professionals
• Technical/Trades
• Sales/Marketing
• Administrative/Clerical
• Production or Service Workers with no Trade/Certification
• Other
• All employees
  Please make sure that the totals reported here agree with the totals reported in Questions A2 and A3.

A7. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many generally worked in the following categories:

If you are unable to provide an actual gender breakdown, your best estimate is acceptable.
Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Male
Female
Total

• On-site
• At home
• At another workplace (including travel for work)
• Other

A8. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many were in the following categories?

Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Full-time employee: An employee working 30 or more hours per week.
Part-time employee: An employee working less than 30 hours per week.

Covered by a collective agreement
Not covered by a collective agreement

• Full-time
• Part-time

If no employees were covered by a collective agreement, Go to Question A10
Otherwise, Go to Question A9.

A9. Of the employees covered by a collective agreement, as reported in Question A8, how many were in the following categories?

Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Full-time
Part-time
Total

• Managers
• Professionals
• Technical/Trades
• Sales/Marketing
• Administrative/Clerical
• Production or Service Workers with no Trade/Certification
• Other

Temporary and Contractual Help

A10. In December 2010, did you have workers who did not receive a T4 statement from this location, such as employees from a temporary help agency or independent contractors?

• Yes
• No Go to Question A12

A11. Of the workers who did not receive a T4 statement from this location, how many were in the following categories in December 2010?

• Workers receiving a T4 statement from a temporary help agency
• Independent contractors
• Volunteers
• Other workers not receiving a T4 statement from this location

Independent Contractor: A person providing products or services under contract at your location but for whom the completion of a Canada Revenue Agency T4 statement is not required. This person may be an employee of another business or home worker (computer consultant, piecework seamstress, etc.).

A12. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many were temporary foreign workers?

A temporary foreign worker is a foreign national working legally in Canada on a temporary work permit. If you do not have any temporary foreign workers, please report zero.

• Number of temporary foreign workers

Seasonal Fluctuations

A13. In 2010, did the number of employees at this location fluctuate due to the seasonal nature of its activities?

Please exclude hires to replace employees on vacation or other leave.

• Yes
• No Go to Question B1

A14. If applicable, during which month(s) did the peak in employment occur?

Please check all that apply.

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December

A15. What was the maximum number of employees at this location in 2010?

• Number of employees

Section B: Job Vacancies and Labour Turnover

Job Vacancies

B1.Please complete the table below

Vacant positions on December 31, 2010

Include

A job is vacant if it meets all three conditions:

• A specific position exists
• Work could start within 30 days
• You are actively seeking workers from outside this location to fill the position
  The position can be full-time or part-time, temporary, permanent, seasonal or on call, etc.

Exclude

• Positions to be filled by promotion/demotion, internal transfers or recall from layoffs
• Positions with start dates more than 30 days in the future
• Positions for which employees have been hired, but the employees have not yet reported for work
• Positions to be filled by employees of temporary help agencies, independent contractors or consultants

Hires
Include

A hire is any addition to your payroll from January 1 to December 31, 2010 and includes:

• New hire or a previously separated rehire
• Permanent, short-term and seasonal employees
• Recall from layoff
• Full-time and part-time employees
• On-call employees who returned to work after having been formally separated
• Workers who were hired and separated during the year
• Transfers from other locations

Exclude

• Transfers or promotions within this location
• Employees returning from a strike
• Independent contractors or consultants

Quits
Include

• Voluntary separations from January 1 to December 31, 2010

Exclude

• Retirements
• Transfers to other locations

Layoffs and dismissals
Include
Involuntary separations from January 1 to December 31, 2010 include:

• Layoffs with no intent to rehire (permanent)
• Layoffs (employees expect to be recalled)
• Dismissals/firings or other discharges for cause
• Discharges resulting from mergers, downsizing or closings
• Terminations of permanent, short-term, or seasonal employees

Retirements
Include

• Retirements from January 1 to December 31, 2010

Other separations
Include

Other separations from January 1 to December 31, 2010

• Transfers to other locations
• Employee disability (long term)
• Deaths

Total separations
Include

Add number of quits, layoffs, dismissals, retirements and other separations reported above.

Hires

B2. Of the total number of hires, at this location in 2010, as reported in Question B1, how many were hired in the following categories?

Permanent employees
Non-permanent employees

• Full-time
• Part-time
• All hires

Permanent employee: An employee who has no set termination date (include tenured teachers).

Non-permanent employee: An employee who has a set termination date or an agreement covering the period of employment (temporary, seasonal or casual).

B3. Please provide the job titles as well as a description of the most important activities or duties for the four most recently hired employees in 2010.

• Job Title #1
  (, daycare provider, factory worker, forestry technician)
• Description #1
  (, caring for children, stamp press machine operator, forest examiner)
• Job Title #2
  Description #2
• Job Title #3
  Description #3
• Job Title #4
  Description #4

Separations

B4. Of the total number of separations at this location in 2010, as reported in Question B1, how many were in the following categories?

Permanent employees
Non-permanent employees

• Full-time
• Part-time
• All separations

B5. Please provide the job titles as well as a description of the most important activities or duties for the four most recent separations, which are positions where an employee left your location in 2010 due to a quit, dismissal, layoff (permanent or temporary), retirement, death, or leave (disability, parental, etc).

• Job #1
  (daycare provider, factory worker, forestry technician)
• Description #1
  (caring for children, stamp press machine operator, forest examiner)
• Job #2
  Description #2
• Job #3
  Description #3
• Job #4
  Description #4

B6. Focusing on the four most recent separations in 2010, please provide the reason for the separation.

Quit
Layoff or dismissal
Retirement
Other separation (transfer, death, etc.)

• Job #1
• Job #2
• Job #3
• Job #4

B7. Of the total number of separations at this location in 2010, as reported in Question B1, how many resulted in eliminated positions?

• Number of eliminated positions

B8. Were there any temporary lay-offs in 2010 at this location?

Temporary lay-offs: laid-off employees who are expected to be recalled.

• Yes
• No Go to Question C1

B9. What was the number of person-days that employees spent on temporary lay-off in 2010?

• Number of person-days

Number of person-days: number of employees affected multiplied by the number of days laid-off

OR

• Number of employees affected
• Number of days laid off

Section C: Hours of Work

C1. In a usual work week in 2010, how many male and female employees were in the following categories?

Please exclude overtime hours.

If you are unable to provide an actual gender breakdown, your best estimate is acceptable.
Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Male
Female
Total

• No hours worked
• (employees on leave or layoff)
• Less than 15 hours worked
• 15 to 29 hours worked
• 30 to 34 hours worked
• 35 to 40 hours worked
• Over 40 hours worked
• All employees

If you did not have any full-time employees in December 2010 Go to Question C5.

C2. In a usual work week in 2010, how many hours did full-time employees in the following categories work?

Regular hours
Total hours
(including overtime)

• Managers
• Professionals
• Technical/Trades
• Sales/Marketing
• Administrative/Clerical
• Production or Service Workers with no Trade/Certification
• Other

C3. In a usual work week in 2010, how often did full-time employees in the following categories work overtime hours?

Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Always

• Managers
• Professionals
• Technical/Trades
• Sales/Marketing
• Administrative/ClericalProduction and Service Workers with no Trade/Certification
• Other

C4. For full-time employees in the following categories in 2010, what was the most common method of compensation for overtime hours?

Hourly overtime premiums
Regular pay rate
Compensatory time off
Not compensated
Not applicable (no overtime)

• Managers
• Professionals
• Technical/Trades
• Sales/Marketing
• Administrative/Clerical
• Production and Service Workers with no Trade/Certification
• Other

C5. In 2010 how many work days were lost at this location for the following reasons?

Please exclude paid vacation leave, maternity/parental leave, employees away on secondment or courses.

If you are unable to provide an actual gender breakdown, your best estimate is acceptable.
Please include only employees receiving a T4 statement from this location.

Male
Female
Total

• Paid personal sickness or disability leave
• Paid family related leave
• Unpaid leave
• Labour dispute (strike or lockout)

C6. Which level of government oversees the prevention and inspection of accidents and injuries of the employees in your workplace?

• The federal government
• The provincial government
• Don't know

Section D: Labour Compensation

The following questions relate to items on your financial statements.

D1. What was the gross payroll for all employees at this location in 2010?  

Gross payroll is the total remuneration paid to employees before deductions. The amount should be equivalent to the sum of the taxable employment income reported in box 14 of the T4 statement and on the Canada Revenue Agency “Remittance Form for Current Source Deductions.”

Financial amounts should be rounded to the nearest dollar.

D2. What was the number of permanent (full-time and part-time) employees in the following annual earnings categories?

If you are unable to provide an actual gender breakdown, your best estimate is acceptable.

Basic annual rate categories

Male
Female
Total

• $20,000 and below
• $20,001 - $40,000
• $40,001 - $60,000
• $60,001 - $80,000
• $80,001 - $100,000
• $100,001 - $120,000
• $120,001 and above

D3. For employees in the following categories, what was the minimum and the maximum annual salary?

Minimum
Maximum

• Managers
• Professionals
• Technical/Trades
• Sales/Marketing
• Administrative/Clerical
• Production or Service Workers with no Trade/Certification
• Other
• Overall

D4. Of the total number of employees in December 2010, as reported in Question A2, how many employees were earning the legal minimum wage?

If not applicable for your company, please report zero.

Number of employees earning legal minimum wage.

For information on minimum wage rates, please consult the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada web page at www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/lp/spila/minwage.shtml.

D5. What was the total expenditure on non-wage benefits at this location in 2010?

Non-wage benefits include but are not limited to health related benefits (dental care, life insurance), pay related benefits (severance, supplements to E.I.) or pension related benefits (pension plans, group RRSPs).

Include:

• employer’s contributions to pension plans and group RRSPs
• employer’s contributions to non-wage benefits
• severance pay
• compensation in kind other than stock plans
• non-taxable allowances and benefits
• recreational facilities provided by the employer
• moving expenses paid by the employer
• employee counselling services

Exclude:

• contribution to CPP/QPP
• contribution to Employment Insurance
• provincial health taxes
• worker’s compensation
• regular wages and salaries, commissions, overtime pay
• stock plans (purchase or ownership plans or stock options)
• paid leave
• piecework payments and special payments

Financial amounts should be rounded to the nearest dollar.

D6. What was the total training expenditure at this location, in 2010?

Include:

• trainers’ salaries
• contracts to vendors
• tuition paid to schools or training institutions
• training materials
• travel or living costs for trainees and trainers
• overhead or office costs for training

Exclude:

• salary of the employees that were on training

Financial amounts should be rounded to the nearest dollar.

Reminder: Please report for this location only.

Section E: Job Vacancies

• A job is vacant if it meets all three conditions:
• A specific position exists
• Work could start within 30 days
• You are actively seeking workers from outside this location to fill the position

The position can be full-time or part-time, temporary, permanent, seasonal or on call, etc.

If there were no job vacancies at this location on 31 December 2010, as reported in Question B1 Go to Question F1.

E1. Of the total vacant positions at this location, as reported in Question B1, how many were in the following categories and of those, how many were hard-to-fill?

Number of job vacancies
Number of vacancies which were hard-to-fill

• Managers
• Professionals
• Technical/Trades
• Sales/Marketing
• Administrative/Clerical 
• Production or Service Workers with no Trade/Certification
• Other
• All job vacancies

If you did not have any hard-to-fill vacancies, Go to Question E5.

E2. What percentage of the hard-to-fill vacancies indicated in Question E1 were due to skills shortages?

Skills Shortages exist when employers are unable to fill or have considerable difficulty in filling vacancies for an occupation, or if there are specialised skill needs within that occupation, at current levels of remuneration and conditions of employment, and a reasonably accessible location.

If you did not have any hard-to-fill vacancies due to skills shortages, please report 0 (zero), then Go to Question E5.

E3. Please provide the job titles as well as a description of the most important activities or duties for three vacant positions that have been hard-to-fill because of skills shortages.

• Job Title #1 (daycare provider, factory worker, forestry technician)
  Description #1 (caring for children, stamp press machine operator, forest examiner)
• Job Title #2
  Description #2
• Job Title #3
  Description #3

E4. For the hard-to-fill vacancies identified in E1, what were the impacts?

Please check all that apply.

• Lose business to competitors
• Delay developing new products or services
• Have difficulties meeting quality standards
• Increase operating costs
• Have difficulties introducing new work practices
• Increase workload for other staff
• Outsource work or contract out
• Decrease productivity

E5. For the vacant positions at this location in 2010, reported in Question B1, please provide the following information for four vacant positions beginning with the most recent vacancy.

Job # 1

A. Job Title (construction worker, waiter/waitress, retail sales clerk, or financial analyst)

B. Description of main activities or duties (pouring concrete, waiting on tables, selling goods to a consumers, or collecting and analyzing financial information)

C. On December 31, 2010, how long had this job been vacant?

D. Why was this position vacant? Please check the most appropriate answer.

• Quit
• Layoff or dismissal
• Retirement
• Firm growth (new position(s) similar to existing ones)
• Technological or organizational change (new position(s) with new skills required)
• Other.  Please specify:

E. Is/was this job hard-to-fill?

• Yes
• No If no, then Go to G.

F. Why was this job hard-to-fill? Please check all that apply.

• Not enough applicants

Applicants not meeting the following requirements:

• Qualifications (education level/credentials)
• Skills
• Work experience
• Motivation, attitude, or interpersonal skills

Inability to compete with other firms due to:

• Pay and benefits
• Promotion opportunities
• Shift work (regular or rotating)
• Seasonal nature of work
• Limited opportunities to use their skills
• Remote location/poor public transit

G. On December 31, 2010, were there other vacancies at this location with the same title and job description? (a location may have multiple vacant positions with the same title and job description)

• Yes How many?
• No

H. Apart from these similar jobs, were there any other job vacancies?

• Yes Go to next vacant position
• No Go to Question E6

Job # 2

A. Job Title (construction worker, waiter/waitress, retail sales clerk, or financial analyst)

B. Description of main activities or duties (pouring concrete, waiting on tables, selling goods to a consumers, or collecting and analyzing financial information)

C. On December 31, 2010, how long had this job been vacant?

D. Why was this position vacant? Please check the most appropriate answer.

• Quit
• Layoff or dismissal
• Retirement
• Firm growth (new position(s) similar to existing ones)
• Technological or organizational change (new position(s) with new skills required)
• Other. Please specify:

E. Is/was this job hard-to-fill?

• Yes
• No If no, then Go to G.

F. Why was this job hard-to-fill? Please check all that apply.

• Not enough applicants

Applicants not meeting the following requirements:

• Qualifications (education level/credentials)
• Skills
• Work experience
• Motivation, attitude, or interpersonal skills

Inability to compete with other firms due to:

• Pay and benefits
• Promotion opportunities
• Shift work (regular or rotating)
• Seasonal nature of work
• Limited opportunities to use their skills
• Remote location/poor public transit

G. On December 31, 2010, were there other vacancies at this location with the same title and job description?(a location may have multiple vacant positions with the same title and job description)

• Yes How many?
• No

H. Apart from these similar jobs, were there any other job vacancies?

• Yes Go to next vacant position
• No Go to Question E6

Job # 3

A. Job Title (construction worker, waiter/waitress, retail sales clerk, or financial analyst)

B. Description of main activities or duties (pouring concrete, waiting on tables, selling goods to a consumers, or collecting and analyzing financial information)

C. On December 31, 2010, how long had this job been vacant?

D. Why was this position vacant? Please check the most appropriate answer.

• Quit
• Layoff or dismissal
• Retirement
• Firm growth (new position(s) similar to existing ones)
• Technological or organizational change (new position(s) with new skills required)
• Other.  Please specify:

E. Is/was this job hard-to-fill?

• Yes
• No If no, then Go to G.

F. Why was this job hard-to-fill? Please check all that apply.

• Not enough applicants

Applicants not meeting the following requirements:

• Qualifications (education level/credentials)
• Skills
• Work experience
• Motivation, attitude, or interpersonal skills

Inability to compete with other firms due to:

• Pay and benefits
• Promotion opportunities
• Shift work (regular or rotating)
• Seasonal nature of work
• Limited opportunities to use their skills
• Remote location/poor public transit

G. On December 31, 2010, were there other vacancies at this location with the same title and job description? (a location may have multiple vacant positions with the same title and job description)

• Yes How many?
• No

H. Apart from these similar jobs, were there any other job vacancies?

• Yes Go to next vacant position
• Go to Question E6

Job # 4

A. Job Title (construction worker, waiter/waitress, retail sales clerk, or financial analyst)

B. Description of main activities or duties (pouring concrete, waiting on tables, selling goods to a consumers, or collecting and analyzing financial information)

C. On December 31, 2010, how long had this job been vacant?

D. Why was this position vacant? Please check the most appropriate answer.

• Quit
• Layoff or dismissal
• Retirement
• Firm growth (new position(s) similar to existing ones)
• Technological or organizational change (new position(s) with new skills required)
• Other. Please specify:

E. Is/was this job hard-to-fill?

• Yes
• No If no, then Go to G.

F. Why was this job hard-to-fill? Please check all that apply.

• Not enough applicants

Applicants not meeting the following requirements:

• Qualifications (education level/credentials)
• Skills
• Work experience
• Motivation, attitude, or interpersonal skills

Inability to compete with other firms due to:

• Pay and benefits
• Promotion opportunities
• Shift work (regular or rotating)
• Seasonal nature of work
• Limited opportunities to use their skills
• Remote location/poor public transit

G. On December 31, 2010, were there other vacancies at this location with the same title and job description?(a location may have multiple vacant positions with the same title and job description)

• Yes How many?
• No

The following questions refer to the vacant positions described in Question E5.

E6. What was the minimum number of years of work experience required for each vacant position?

Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

• Number of years

E7. What was the type of work experience required?
Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

• Specialized work experience (with a specific machine or system or in a specific industry)
• General work experience (sales or human resources management)
• No experience required

E8. What was the minimum education level required?
Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

• None
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Some postsecondary education
• Trade certificate
• College diploma
• Undergraduate degree
• Professional accreditation or graduate degree

E9. Which of the following categories best describes each of the vacant positions?

Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

• Full-time permanent
• Part-time permanent
• Full-time non-permanent
• Part-time non-permanent

E10. How would you best characterize the work hours or work arrangements of the vacant positions?
Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

• Regular hours
• Shift-work (regular or rotating)
• Irregular hours

E11. Was the work associated with the vacant positions mainly on-site or off-site?
Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

• Mainly on-site
• Mainly off-site

E12. What was the annual starting salary range offered, in thousands of Canadian dollars for each vacant position?

Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

Minimum
Maximum

E13. What recruitment methods did you use in order to fill each vacant position?

Please check all that apply.

Job #1
Job #2
Job # 3
Job # 4

• Head hunters or personnel agency
• Company’s own Internet site
• Public Internet job postings site
• Newspaper ads
• Trade or professional association publications/sites
• Government employment centers
• On-site recruitment at schools, colleges or universities
• Word of mouth/personal contacts/referrals/informal networks
• Job signs or posters
• Unsolicited resumes
• Job fairs
• Other

Section F: current and future skill shortages

Skills Shortages: Skill Shortages exist when employers are unable to fill or have considerable difficulty in filling vacancies for an occupation, or if there are specialised skill needs within that occupation, at current levels of remuneration and conditions of employment, and reasonably accessible location.

Skills shortages are different from skills gaps.

A Skills Gap is a lack of skills, work experience or qualifications among workers already employed in a job. Skills gaps refer to gaps internal to an organisation.

F1. Do you currently have any hard-to-fill vacancies due to skills shortages?

• Yes
• No Go to Question F3

F2. What is the main reason for these vacancies?

Please check the most appropriate answer.

• Quit
• Layoff or dismissal
• Retirement
• Firm growth (new position similar to existing one)
• Technological or organizational change (new position with new skills required)
• Other.  Please specify:

F3. Do you anticipate any hard-to-fill vacancies due to skills shortages in the next two years?

• Yes
• No Go to Question G1

F4. What is the main reason you anticipate these vacancies in the next two years?

Please check the most appropriate answer.

• Quit
• Layoff or dismissal
• Retirement
• Firm growth (new position similar to existing one)
• Technological or organizational change (new position with new skills required)
• Other. Please specify:

F5. For three vacancies you anticipate being hard-to-fill due to skills shortages in the next two years, please provide the following information.

Job # 1

A. Job Title (construction worker, waiter/waitress, retail sales clerk, or financial analyst)

B. Description of main activities or duties (pouring concrete, waiting on tables, selling goods to consumers, or collecting and analyzing financial information)

C. How many employees with this title and job description do you anticipate you will need to hire in the next two years? (a location may have multiple vacant positions with the same title and job description.)

D. If you are unable to fill the skills shortages you are anticipating in the next two years, what will be the impact?

Please check all that apply.

• Lose business or orders to competitors
• Delay developing new products or services
• Have difficulties meeting quality standards
• Increase operating costs
• Have difficulties introducing new work practices
• Increase workload for other staff
• Outsource work
• Decrease productivity
• No particular problems/none of the above

Job # 2

A. Job Title (construction worker, waiter/waitress, retail sales clerk, or financial analyst)

B. Description of main activities or duties (pouring concrete, waiting on tables, selling goods to consumers, or collecting and analyzing financial information)

C. How many employees with this title and job description do you anticipate you will need to hire in the next two years? (a location may have multiple vacant positions with the same title and job description.)

D. If you are unable to fill the skills shortages you are anticipating in the next two years, what will be the impact?

Please check all that apply.

• Lose business or orders to competitors
• Delay developing new products or services
• Have difficulties meeting quality standards
• Increase operating costs
• Have difficulties introducing new work practices
• Increase workload for other staff
• Outsource work
• Decrease productivity
• No particular problems/none of the above

Job # 3

A. Job Title (construction worker, waiter/waitress, retail sales clerk, or financial analyst)

B. Description of main activities or duties (pouring concrete, waiting on tables, selling goods to consumers, or collecting and analyzing financial information)

C. How many employees with this title and job description do you anticipate you will need to hire in the next two years? (a location may have multiple vacant positions with the same title and job description.)

D. If you are unable to fill the skills shortages you are anticipating in the next two years, what will be the impact?

Please check all that apply.

• Lose business or orders to competitors
• Delay developing new products or services
• Have difficulties meeting quality standards
• Increase operating costs
• Have difficulties introducing new work practices
• Increase workload for other staff
• Outsource work
• Decrease productivity
• No particular problems/none of the above

SECTION G:

G1. How much time was spent completing this questionnaire?

• Hours
• Minutes

G2. Does this business operate out of more than one location?

• Yes
• No Go to the end of the questionnaire

G3. In completing this questionnaire, did you combine information with any other location?

• Yes
• No Go to the end of the questionnaire

G4. Which locations did you report for?

This location Go to the end of the questionnaire

• Some locations
• All locations Go to the end of the questionnaire

G5.In what province(s) did the locations you reported for operate?

All locations
Some locations

• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Prince Edward Island
• Nova Scotia
• New Brunswick
• Quebec
• Ontario
• Manitoba
• Saskatchewan
• Alberta
• British Columbia

G6. In 2010, what percentage of the total employment of this company was attributable to the locations you reported for?

Please return the completed questionnaire in the accompanying self-addressed, pre-paid envelope within 15 days of receipt.

On behalf of Statistics Canada, we would like to thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.