Definitions
“Dependant” is defined as an individual who lives in the same household as the participant and for whom they have caregiving responsibilities. The dependant may be a child by birth, marriage, or adoption, may be a foster child, or is an adult dependent (e.g. an adult offspring with a disability).
“Casual Employment” means employment for a determinate period where it is known that the employment will not be continuous and will have an end date, whether or not the specific end date is known at the time of employment.
“EI claimant” means a person who is an active Employment Insurance (EI) claimant (i.e. receives employment insurance benefits) or former claimant (who has had an EI claim in the last 36 months, or for whom a claim for maternity or parental benefits has been established within 60 preceding months)
“Employed” means an individual who is receiving, or being entitled to receive, wages for work performed for an employer and being subject to regular employment deductions, or being self-employed. An individual who is working for no wages (i.e. volunteering) is not considered employed.
“First Nations” Officially called “Indians” in the Indian Act, this term refers to the indigenous peoples of North America located in what is now Canada, and their descendants, who are not Inuit or Métis.
“High School” means persons who have completed a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g. General Equivalency Diploma).
“Immigrant” means a person who is foreign born and has been permitted by immigration authorities to live in Canada permanently.
“Indigenous” refers to persons or communities within present day Canada that include First Nations. Inuit and Métis.
“In school or training” means a person who is in school or training and not currently employed.
“Inuit” The Inuit are the Aboriginal inhabitants of the North American Arctic.
“Less than High School” means a person not recognized as having completed a high school diploma or recognized equivalent and who does not have a diploma or certificate recognized in the BC labour market.
“Married or equivalent” means a person who is married and has not separated or obtained a divorce, and whose spouse is still living or a person who is living in a common-law relationship with another person but who is not legally married that person.
“Métis” means a person who self-identifies as Métis, is of historic Métis Nation ancestry, and is accepted by the Métis Nation. Métis people identify themselves, and are recognized, as distinct from First Nations (Indian), Inuit or European descendants.
“Non-EI claimant” means a person who is not currently eligible for EI benefits and who is not a former claimant.
“Non-university certificate or diploma such as a trades certificate” means a person who has a non-university certificate or diploma from a community college, school of nursing, etc. or a trades certificate or diploma from a vocational or apprenticeship training school.
“Not in the labour force” means those persons not in the labour force who are unwilling or unable; that is, they are neither employed nor unemployed. This also includes discouraged workers, who want to work but are not currently looking for work because they believe no suitable work is available.
“Permanent Employment” means when a job is expected to last as long as the employee wants the job, and as long as business conditions permit.
“Person with a Disability” means an individual who self-identifies as having a physical, cognitive/mental, sensory, or developmental disability which results in limitations executing tasks or actions that relate to employment.
“Personal Information” means recorded information about an identifiable individual other than contact information, as defined in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (British Columbia) (“FOIPPA”).
“Seasonal Employment” means employment for a determinate period, where it is known that the employment will not be continuous and will have an end date, whether or not the specific end date is known at the time of employment.
“Self Employed” means persons who are working owners of an incorporated or unincorporated business, farm, or professional practice, with or without paid help. The “un-incorporated” group includes self employed workers who do not own a business (such as babysitters and newspaper carriers). Self employed workers include unpaid family workers, i.e. persons who work without pay, on a farm or in a business or professional practice owned and operated by another family member living in the same dwelling.
“Single” means a person who has never been married, a married person who is no longer living with his/her spouse (separated) and has not remarried, a person who has obtained a legal divorce and has not remarried, and person who has been widowed and has not remarried.
“Social Insurance Number” means a nine digit number that is necessary to work in Canada and to access certain government services and programs, including EI and social assistance. The Government of Canada assigns SINs to all individuals who have an income or pay taxes.
“Some Post Secondary Education” means a person who had some post secondary education (i.e. post secondary program not complete).
“Temporary Employment” means a job that has a predetermined end date or will end as soon as a specific project is completed.
“Unemployed” means an individual who is not employed.
“University” means a person who has completed university and holds a bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or PhD.
“Visible Minority” The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as “persons other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour”. The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: Chinese, South Asian, Black, Arab, West Asian, Filipino, Southeast Asian, Latin American, Japanese and Korean.