Labour Statistics Division

Business Payroll Survey (BPS)

Supplementary questions on vacant positions

Instructions and definition:

Instructions:

The questionnaire concerning vacant positions contains two questions.

Please return the questionnaire to Statistics Canada using the same method you normally would for the Business Payroll Survey (BPS) questionnaire.

If the space reserved for the label is empty, please write the legal name of your business and the docket number beginning with the letter ‘Q’, as they appear on your BPS questionnaire label.

Definition:

A position is considered “vacant” if it meets all three of the following conditions:

  • A specific position exists.
  • Work may commence within 30 days.
  • You are actively seeking employees from outside of this organization to fill the position.

Inclusions:

  • Vacant positions can be full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary, seasonal, on call, etc.

Exclusions:

  • Vacant positions to be filled by promotion, demotion or transfer of existing employees.
  • Vacant positions to be filled by employees recalled from layoff.
  • Vacant positions with start dates more than 30 days in the future.
  • Vacant positions for which employees have been hired, but have not yet begun working.
  • Vacant positions to be filled by employees of temporary help agencies.
  • Vacant positions to be filled by independent contractors or consultants.
  • Vacant positions for which no recruitment action is undertaken.

Thank you for your cooperation