Authors

Report Overview

Morgan Gagnon, Interim Director of Policy & Research, Provincial Employment Roundtable

This report examines the intersection between linguistic identity and age in Québec to improve our understanding of the critical issues and opportunities mature English speakers face in the labour market. It also proposes actionable policy recommendations for employment service providers, employers, and the government. 

Drawing on census data, program inventories, and focus groups, the report reveals that while age is a major factor influencing labour market exclusion, mature English speakers continue to face socioeconomic challenges, including higher unemployment rates and greater vulnerability to poverty. Participants shared how ageist hiring practices, combined with language barriers, undermine mental health and limit opportunity. With only a handful of targeted programs concentrated in Montréal, the report calls for stronger collaboration, better funding, and more inclusive workplace practices to support this growing segment of the workforce.

Key Findings

• English speakers and French speakers tend to have declining labour force participation and increasing unemployment rates as they age, highlighting the significant impact of age on workers’ experiences in the labour market. However, the following differences between the linguistic groups appear in the quantitative data:
• There are five employment programs targeted towards mature English speakers in Québec, all of which are in the Montréal area. Program providers indicate that the main issue in their ecosystem is a lack of resources and support for existing programs that would enable them to meet the evolving needs of their clients more effectively.
• Focus group participants indicated that ageism was a significant barrier to employment and retention within the labour force. They described how ageist hiring practices and myths negatively impacted the hiring process and, for those holding jobs, how it limited the opportunities available to them.
• Participants described experiencing poor mental health as a result of lengthy job search processes and narrowing opportunities, including frustration, isolation, depression, and anxiety.
• Program providers delivering employment services to clientele exhibiting signs of poor mental health indicated that they often performed significant socio-emotional work to help rebuild their clients’ confidence prior to the job search process.