Social Determinants of Health – Employment
The following information is compiled and presented by Quality of Care NL, an applied health and social systems research and evaluation program aimed at improving social and health outcomes in Newfoundland and Labrador. This page is best viewed in full screen on a computer. Click here to download a PDF version of the information presented below.
Stable employment, with an adequate income, and safe working conditions leads to better mental and physical health and overall well-being.
Unemployment frequently leads to material and social deprivation, psychological stress, and the adoption of health-threatening coping behaviours.
Labour Force Status: Employment Rate
The employment rate is the number of employed persons expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and over.
- Overall, from 2015 to 2025, the employment rate has been fairly consistent in NL and across Canada as a whole (with a dip in 2020).
- Employment rates have consistently been lower in NL compared to Canada. In 2025, the employment rate in NL was 14% lower than the Canadian rate.
- In both 2019 and 2025, NL had the lowest rate of employment (rank 10) among the Canadian provinces (1=best and 10=worst).
Labour Force Status: Unemployment Rate
The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed persons expressed as percentage of the labour force.
- Overall, the unemployment rate decreased by 23% in NL from 2015 to 2025. Across Canada unemployment rates have increased over the past few years and 2025 levels are similar to 2015 levels.
- Unemployment rates have consistently been higher in NL compared to Canada. In 2025, the unemployment rate in NL was 49% higher than the Canadian rate.
- In both 2019 and 2025, NL had the highest rate of unemployment (rank 10) among the Canadian provinces (1=best and 10=worst).
Wages: Gender Wage Ratio
The gender wage ratio is the wage for women divided by the wage for men. The gender wage ratio can be interpreted as the proportion of a dollar that women earn for every dollar earned by men.
- In NL, the gender wage ratio has increased from 2015 to 2025. Across Canada rates have been more stable.
- The gender wage ratio in NL has generally been lower than the Canadian rate. In 2025, however, rates were similar for NL and Canada.
- In 2020, NL ranked seventh among the Canadian provinces (tied with SK) for its gender wage ratio and in 2025, NL ranked sixth (tied with MB) (1=best and 10=worst).
- In 2025, women in NL earned $0.87 for every dollar earned by men.
Wages: Minimum Wage & Living Wage in NL
The minimum wage is the lowest wage rate an employer is legally allowed to pay its employees. The minimum wage is dictated by labour laws under each provincial jurisdiction in Canada and is periodically adjusted for inflation. The minimum wage for each province is the same across the entire province but it is not the same as the living wage. The living wage reflects what people need to earn to cover the actual costs of living in their community.
- The percentage of employees earning minimum wage or less in NL increased from 2019 to 2023. Since 2023 the percentage has decreased.
- Approximately 15,300 employees earned minimum wage or less in 2025 (~8,700 were female).
- Based on reports from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), individuals in NL would need to make between $8.40 and $12.30 more an hour just to cover the cost of living in their community.
Job Permanency
Permanent employment brings peace of mind and can lead to better employee life quality and social well-being. In addition to getting a steady paycheck and job security, permanent employees enjoy advantages such as health insurance, retirement savings plans and paid time off.
Temporary employment (such as precarious or gig work), however, can lead to stress and anxiety and can take a toll on an individual’s psychological well-being due to its lack of benefits and uncertain, unstable, and insecure nature.
- Overall, from 2015 to 2025, the proportion of the population employed in a permanent job has increased slightly in NL and across Canada.
- NL has consistently had a lower proportion of the population employed in a permanent job compared to Canada. In other words, more people in NL are employed in seasonal or temporary work.
- In 2025, the proportion of individuals who were permanently employed was approximately 8% lower in NL compared Canada.
- In 2020, NL ranked ninth among the Canadian provinces for the proportion of individuals who were permanently employed and in 2025, NL ranked tenth (1=best and 10=worst).
Job Satisfaction
Job satisfaction was measured using the following question: “In general, how satisfied are you with your job?”. The possible response categories included: very satisfied, satisfied, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, dissatisfied and very dissatisfied.
- Compared to Canada, job satisfaction (very satisfied or satisfied) was higher in NL in Q3 2022.
- In Q3 2022, NL ranked fourth in job satisfaction among the Canadian provinces (1=best and 10=worst).
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