Indigenous Peoples in the Workplace: Examining Employment, Discrimination, Training and Artificial Intelligence Use

The Indigenous population is growing at nearly double the rate of the non-Indigenous population but they remain underrepresented in the labour market. Their economic growth is inhibited by systemic barriers including a history of genocide, discrimination, exclusion, inter-generational trauma, and a lack of access to infrastructure. 

This report builds on previous DI research by using data from Wave 8 of the Survey on Employment and Skills, which was administered from March to April 2025, to explore the experiences of Indigenous Peoples in the workplace. This report aims to answer the question: How do the experiences of Indigenous People in the workplace differ from those of the general population? Key areas that are explored include Indigenous Peoples technology use, their experiences of discrimination and access to opportunities for training. This project also used a diversity and intersectional lens to compare the experiences of Indigenous women and Indigenous men.

1. Education: Indigenous respondents reported different patterns of education compared to non-Indigenous respondents. Among the respondents, 53% of Indigenous Peoples indicated high school diplomas or less as their highest education level compared to 19% of non-Indigenous people. However, Indigenous respondents are also more likely to report completing apprenticeship or trades training.
2. Employment: Consistent with the most recent Statistics Canada data, the survey data confirms that Indigenous workers have higher representation in the public sector and lower representation in the private sector compared to the general population. Indigenous respondents are also more likely to work from home and are more likely to report that now is a good time to find a job compared to non-Indigenous respondents. However, a similar proportion of both populations indicated that they are worried about finding a stable job. 
3. Discrimination at work: Overall, about 38% of Indigenous respondents reported experiences of discrimination as a result of their Indigenous identity. The proportion was higher among Indigenous men (43%) than Indigenous women (33%) and the youngest age group (ages 18 to 34 years) reported the highest rate of discrimination (45%).
4. Physical and mental health: A higher proportion of Indigenous respondents indicated good physical health compared to non-Indigenous people. Indigenous men are also more likely to report good physical health than Indigenous women. In terms of mental health, Indigenous respondents reported poorer rates of mental health compared to non-Indigenous respondents. A higher proportion of Indigenous respondents experience persistent symptoms of depression, anxiety, nervousness, and feelings of isolation.
5. Outlook: Compared to non-Indigenous people, Indigenous Peoples reported a more positive outlook about the way things are going in Canada today, higher levels of optimism about their financial situations, and greater concern for the environment. 
6. Job satisfaction: Indigenous Peoples report higher levels of job satisfaction compared to non-Indigenous people. Indigenous men are more likely to be very satisfied with their jobs compared to Indigenous women. 
7. Training: Compared to non-Indigenous people, Indigenous Peoples seem to participate in workplace training at a higher rate and receive more benefits such as salary increases, transitions to better jobs, and promotions. 
8. Artificial intelligence at work: Indigenous respondents are more likely to use AI tools and programs in the workplace and use AI for productivity and creativity compared to non-Indigenous respondents.

Based on the findings of this report, the authors propose a number of recommendations to advance Indigenous Peoples in the workforce and enhance economic reconciliation. These recommendations  include:

• Implement measures to reduce discrimination in the workplace.
• Address barriers to education at all levels by providing supports for Indigenous youth, especially women.
• Introduce more mentorship opportunities for Indigenous youth and workers.

Read the full report to get the details on all of the recommendations and findings on the experiences of Indigenous peoples in the workplace.