--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/rising-import-competition-in-canada-and-its-employment-effect-by-gender-evidence-from-the-china-shock/" title: "Rising Import Competition in Canada and its Employment Effect by Gender: Evidence from the ‘China Shock’" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T11:34:21+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-07T07:35:24+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Canada" - "China shock" - "gender" - "import competition" - "labour reallocation" - "manufacturing employment" - "trade-induced job loss" country_focus: - "Canada" - "China" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Labour Markets" - "Trade" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # Rising Import Competition in Canada and its Employment Effect by Gender: Evidence from the ‘China Shock’ Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/rising-import-competition-in-canada-and-its-employment-effect-by-gender-evidence-from-the-china-shock/ # Rising Import Competition in Canada and its Employment Effect by Gender: Evidence from the ‘China Shock’ [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2018-03-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Kim, Myeongwan. 2018. “Rising Import Competition in Canada and its Employment Effect by Gender: Evidence from the ‘China Shock’.” CSLS Research Report 2018-03. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/rising-import-competition-in-canada-and-its-employment-effect-by-gender-evidence-from-the-china-shock/ ## Author: - Myeongwan Kim Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2018-03 August 2018 73 pages ## Related research [Measuring the Appropriate Outcomes for Better Decision-Making: A Framework to Guide the Analysis of Health Policy Matthew Calver March 2016 | Report 2016-03 | 132 pages](https://csls.ca/research/measuring-the-appropriate-outcomes-for-better-decision-making-a-framework-to-guide-the-analysis-of-health-policy-2016-03/) [Living Standards Domain of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing Andrew Sharpe, Christopher Ross November 2011 | Report 2011-17 | 124 pages](https://csls.ca/research/living-standards-domain-of-the-canadian-index-of-wellbeing-2011-17/) [Productivity: Key to Economic Success Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) March 1998 | Report 1998-01 | 99 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-key-to-economic-success/) [Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege? Andrew Sharpe December 1999 | Report 1999-03 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/apprenticeship-in-canadaa-training-system-under-siege/) [A Survey of Indicators of Economic and Social Well-being Andrew Sharpe July 1999 | Report 1999-cprn | 72 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-survey-of-indicators-of-economic-and-social-well-being/) [Creating a More Efficient Labour Market Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2001 | Report 2001-02 | 147 pages](https://csls.ca/research/creating-a-more-efficient-labour-market/) [The Impact of the National Child Benefit Supplement on the Low Income Status of Canadian Families with Children: The SPSD/M Results Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2002 | Report 2002-01 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-impact-of-the-national-child-benefit-supplement-on-the-low-income-status-of-canadian-families-with-children-the-spsd-m-results/) [Productivity Trends in Natural Resources Industries in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01a | 69 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-natural-resources-industries-in-canada/) [Productivity in the Forest Products Sector: A Review of the Literature Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-02 | 28 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-in-the-forest-products-sector-a-review-of-the-literature/) [An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01b | 64 pages](https://csls.ca/research/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-forest-products-sector-in-canada/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn It is well known that there has been a secular decline in the manufacturing share of total employment in Canada, with the decline accelerating after 2000. Among the factors that contributed to that trend, this report focuses on rising Chinese import competition in Canada, which also accelerated after 2000. A trade-induced job loss in manufacturing is estimated by gender. We estimate that a trade-induced job loss amounted to 56.8 thousand for males and 36.1 thousand for females over the 2001-2011 period. However, females had a larger loss in relative terms since they experienced a much smaller decline in their total manufacturing employment over this period. We also find that the labour reallocation in response to a trade shock is important in offsetting the negative employment effect. However, the reallocation was less successful for females. Il est bien établi que la part de l’emploi manufacturier dans l’emploi total a connu un déclin séculaire au Canada, déclin qui s’est accéléré après 2000. Parmi les facteurs ayant contribué à cette tendance, ce rapport se concentre sur la hausse de la concurrence des importations chinoises au Canada, qui s’est également accélérée après 2000. Les pertes d’emplois manufacturiers attribuables au commerce sont estimées selon le sexe. Nous estimons que les pertes d’emplois attribuables au commerce se sont élevées à 56 800 pour les hommes et à 36 100 pour les femmes au cours de la période 2001-2011. Toutefois, les femmes ont subi une perte plus importante en termes relatifs, puisqu’elles ont connu un déclin beaucoup plus faible de leur emploi manufacturier total durant cette période. Nous constatons également que la réaffectation de la main-d’œuvre en réponse au choc commercial joue un rôle important pour atténuer l’effet négatif sur l’emploi. Cependant, cette réaffectation a été moins efficace pour les femmes. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2018-03-1.pdf)