A PANEL-DATA ANALYSIS OF THE US-CANADIAN NONEMPLOYMENT RATE GAP AMONGYOUNG, LOW SKILLED MALES

Evidence from the U.S. National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and the C anadian Labour Market Activity Survey shows differences in both incide nce and duration give rise to the mid-1980 US-Canadian nonemployment r ate gap of young, low skilled males. Canadians are more likely to expe rience a firm-initiated job separation, to have been in a seasonal or temporary job, to experience transition to nonemployment rather than a nother job, and to take-up Unemployment Insurance (UI) than Americans. Overall, a pattern emerges of more intermittent employment in Canada with intervening spells of UI-sponsored nonemployment.