National Household Survey (NHS)

Number of earners of economic family, category

Number of earners refers to employment income recipients in an economic family. An earner is a person aged 15 years or over who received wages and salaries, net income from a non-farm unincorporated business and/or professional practice, and/or net farm self-employment income during the reference year.

Economic family refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law or adoption. A couple may be of opposite or same sex. Foster children are included.

By definition, all persons who are members of a census family are also members of an economic family. Examples of the broader concept of economic family include the following: two co-resident census families who are related to one another are considered one economic family; co-resident siblings who are not members of a census family are considered as one economic family; and, nieces or nephews living with aunts or uncles are considered one economic family.

The data for this variable are reported using the following classifications and/or lists:

• Number of earners