Toronto ranked #1 city for career women

Kareem El-Assal
Published: December 9, 2021

Toronto is the leading city in the world for career women, according to Bloomberg.

The business publication conducted an analysis of how 15 global cities rank on quality of life metrics for women pursuing their careers.

Five pillars were assessed: safety, mobility, maternity, equality, and wealth.

Cities were chosen based on their role in global business and attractiveness to global talent. Over 3,000 women between the ages of 18 to 60 were surveyed in the 15 cities and asked questions that corresponded to each of the five pillars.

For instance, under the equality pillar, respondents were asked "Are women well-represented in leadership roles around me?" Under wealth, one of the questions they were asked was "Can women compete equally for jobs with men?"

Find out if you’re eligible for Canadian immigration

Toronto came out on top, followed by Sydney, Singapore, Paris, and London. Toronto ranked highly for equality, maternity, and wealth. On the other hand, it ranked poorly for mobility due to the city's aging transportation.

The issue of career prospects for women is of significant importance to newcomers for a number of reasons.

Generally speaking, most immigrants arrive to Canada during their prime working years. Hence, women are just as keen as their male counterparts to work in jobs commensurate with their skills and to climb the socio-economic ladder.

Although males continue to make up the majority of principal applicants welcomed to Canada as economic class immigrants, women are becoming an increasing share. This development is important for both women and Canadian policymakers. Even if the female is the spouse or partner of the male principal applicant, Canadian government research suggests they have human capital characteristics that mirror their partner (e.g., similar age, education, language skills, and work experience). Thus, it is a reasonable expectation among such women and policymakers that newcomer women be given a fair shot in the Canadian labour market given their high levels of human capital.

Strong economic integration among women is also key to fostering social integration and retention. Canadian studies have shown that weak labour market integration among immigrant women can cause newcomer families to relocate so that both partners can pursue better career prospects elsewhere.

Finally, Canada needs to tap into as many talent sources as possible both in the immediate and long-term to address its labour shortages. Canada currently has around 1 million job vacancies and it will continue to grapple with labour market shortages as all of its 9 million baby boomers reach retirement age over the next decade. This means policymakers and employers will need to do a better job of identifying how to match under-represented employment groups such as women, newcomer women, newcomers in general, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, disenfranchised youth, and others with appropriate job opportunities.

Canada's federal and provincial governments are pursuing a variety of initiatives to support newcomer women integration into the job market. For example, since 2018, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been providing financial support for a number of pilot programs aimed at supporting racialized newcomer women. IRCC notes one of the goals of the programs is to "help racialized newcomer women find good, well-paying jobs that set them up for success in this country, by addressing the barriers they may face--gender- and race-based discrimination, precarious or low-income employment, lack of affordable child care and weak social supports."

Find out if you’re eligible for Canadian immigration

© CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.

Share this article
Share your voice
Did you find this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Did you find this article helpful?
Please provide a response
Thank you for your helpful feedback
Please contact us if you would like to share additional feedback, have a question, or would like Canadian immigration assistance.
  • Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
  • Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
Related articles
CRA to hold webinar for international students
Money and income tax papers litter a surface, in a menagerie of financial ministration.
How the Canadian government supports newcomers with Canada Connects
A multicultural group of youths sit on the steps of a building in Toronto, laughing and socializing.
International students in Canada can work 24 hours a week off-campus
A young woman walks while carrying a laptop
ESDC raises wage requirements for high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program
A group of office workers in a meeting with large windows in the background
Top Stories
Canada vs. Australia: Which country is the best choice for international students seeking immigration?
CRA to hold webinar for international students
Manitoba announces new pilot pathway to permanent residency
Join our free newsletter. Get Canada's top immigration stories delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe
More in Provinces
Manitoba announces new pilot pathway to permanent residency
A walkway through a field
Your guide to Ontario’s paid days off in 2025: public holidays and long weekends
An Out-Of-Office post-it stuck on a laptop
British Columbia and Alberta invite PNP candidates
New survey reveals the happiest provinces in Canada
A person holds a cutout of a smiley face in front of their face.
Link copied to clipboard