A recent report found that women, visible minorities, and Indigenous Peoples in Canada earn less overall than their male, non-minority counterparts.
The report, conducted by the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, looked at 2016 Statistics Canada census data. The U.S. Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database was used to select skills related to the production or use of technology.
Brookfield’s report found that women working in the tech industry were more likely than men to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. However, when comparing the pay between men and women who both have a bachelor’s degree or higher, the pay gap is about $19,750 annually. Preliminary analysis by the Brookfield Institute suggests that the gender pay gap gets wider with more education.
When comparing the pay between men and women who both have a bachelor’s degree or higher, the pay gap is about $19,750 annually
Regardless of the level of education received, men in tech occupations earn $7,300 more than women in tech positions; with men earning about $76,200 annually compared to women earning about $68,900. However, the pay gap between men and women in tech occupations is smaller than the pay gap in non-tech occupations by about $3,000 a year.
As of 2016, there are 935,000 Canadians working in tech jobs, making up 5.1 percent of the total labour force and according to the report, this number is likely to grow. The report also found that men are four times as likely as women to hold a tech job.
About 32 percent of Canada’s tech workers identify as a visible minority. Brookfield found that minorities earn $3,100 less annually than their non-visible minority counterparts, where visible minorities earn an average of $76,300. It was also discovered that black tech workers were the lowest paid minority in the industry, with their yearly salary $13,000 less than other minorities and $16,000 less than non-visible minorities.
For the most part, female visible minorities are paid less than men across all visible minority groups, receiving about $10,900 less annually than their male counterparts in tech. However, Chinese women earn more than several male minorities, such as black, west Asian, and Korean men.
Only 1.2 percent of tech workers identify as Indigenous. These workers also earn less than their non-Indigenous counterparts, ranging from a salary of $30,000 lower on average for Inuit employees and $3,400 lower for Métis employees.
This report’s findings are similar to the 2016 Tech Talent BC report, which found a pronounced lack of female and Indigenous leadership in the tech industry.
At first glance, the report said, tech workers are diverse and come from a variety of backgrounds.
“However, there are gaps in terms of pay and participation along gender, race, and ethnic lines,” the report reads. “Canada has a significant opportunity to more fully engage its diverse labour market to contribute to an already vibrant tech workforce.”
Read the report here.
Featured image via Unsplash.
