We are pleased to inform researchers that a longitudinal platform linking education and labour market data is currently being developed with resources from Employment and Social Development Canada, and is scheduled for release in November 2018. This secure data platform will help to better track and make available important labour market information. All datasets and linkage keys prepared for the platform will be made available to researchers through the RDCs across Canada.

 

• A Platform – where keys are developed, to unlock access to more information about past cohorts of postsecondary students and registered apprentices, to better understand how their education and training affected their career prospects.
• Securely linked datasets – Linking datasets allows researchers to know more than what a single database or survey can provide. When administrative data are involved, the data can be mined for more meaningful information. The linkage process is in excellent hands and individuals cannot be identified, since personal identifiers are replaced with linkage keys and data are aggregated. New datasets will be linked to help answer the questions posed in the research as prioritized in the work plan.
• Longitudinal data – The data available within the platform is also linked longitudinally, allowing researchers to better understand the behaviours and outcomes of students and apprentices, including under-represented groups over time. For example: What was the family income of the student/apprentice before their studies/training? How did they navigate throughout their studies/training? Where did they end up after graduation?
• Open Data – All datasets and linkage keys prepared for the Platform will be made available to researchers through the Research Data Centres network across Canada. The costs associated with this access will be borne by the Government of Canada. In addition, a number of data tables will produced and disseminated annually, free of charge, on Statistics Canada’s website (CANSIM).

 

The platform centers around 3 administrative datasets: The RAIS (Registered Apprenticeship Information System), the PSIS  (Post-Secondary Information System), and the T1 Family File (tax records). These datasets will cover the following periods: 

• PSIS: 2009-latest available for all provinces, 2005-latest available for maritime provinces.
• T1FF: 2004-latest available
• RAIS: 2008-latest available

 At the launch of the platform, all datasets will be available through 2015.

 

Over time, other relevant administrative and StatCan datasets will be linked into the platform.

• Apprentice loan and apprenticeship grant program
• Canadian student loans program
• Canadian education savings program
• Employment insurance: Record of employment, employment insurance status vector
• Census/NHS data

 

Access to the RDC for the ELMLP follows the usual CRDCN access procedures including a project proposal and designation of the researcher as a deemed employee of Statistics Canada. For more details about this procedure, consult this page.

 

Comments or questions: contact Grant Gibson.