Who/what was surveyed: persons aged 16 to 69 residing in Canada, except residents of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, persons living on Indian reserves, institutional residents and full-time members of the Armed Forces

How the data were collected: subsample of the Labour Force Survey consisting of 40,000 households; cross-sectionally representative sample for 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and two longitudinally representative files for 1986/1987 and 1988/1989/1990; data initially collected by personal or telephone interview as a supplement to the LFS, with a subsequent telephone interview one to two years later

Geographic detail: Canada, provinces, economic regions and census metropolitan areas

Demographic detail: age, sex, marital status, family relationships and household composition

Sample size: 40,000 households

Data availability: first conducted in 1987 (data exist for 1986 to 1990 reference years). The survey has been superseded by the Survey on Labour and Income Dynamics.

Reference period: Previous calendar year

Response rates: 96% of respondents to the Labour Force Survey, 3% attrition for longitudinal component

What makes the data valuable:
1. detailed information on employment patterns and concentration of unemployment
2. provide longitudinal data on patterns of employment and unemployment over a two- or three-year period
3. availability of wage rate, salary, union membership and pension plan coverage data
4. the first year of each two- or three-year cycle of the survey can be linked to Labour force survey data

Related surveys or data:
the design of this survey was based in part on three former supplementary surveys to the Labour Force Survey:

a) Annual Work Patterns Survey: conducted annually from 1979 to 1986 (except 1982); estimated the number of persons employed, unemployed or attending school full time during the reference year

b) Survey of 1981 Work History: conducted in January 1982; provided detailed information on up to four jobs held by Canadians in 1981, including industry, occupation, work schedules, wages and salaries, and union membership

c) Survey of Union Membership: conducted in December 1984; restricted to the current or most recent paid job held that year; collected information on wages and salaries, union membership, pension coverage and work schedules

Products and services:

Past publications:
1. Labour Market Activity Survey (discontinued)
2. Patterns of Full- and Part-year Employment and Unemployment: Results of the Annual Work Patterns Survey, 1977 to 1980 (Catalogue no. 71-531-XPB)
3. FLUX: Two Years in the Life of the Canadian Labour Market: findings of the Statistics Canada Labour Market Activity Survey 1986-87 (Catalogue no. 71-538-XPE)
4. Articles in The Labour Force (Catalogue no. 71-001-XPB), monthly
5. Articles in Perspectives on Labour and Income,Catalogue no. 75-001-XPE, quarterly paper edition and Catalogue no. 75-001-XIE, monthly online edition.
6. Microdata files and special tabulations are available on a cost-recovery basis.

Responsible division: Special Surveys