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The question of whether inequality in skills explains inequality of earnings across advanced countries was examined through a review of data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), which examined the prose, document, and quantitative literacy skills of adults in 12 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. In all countries, jobless individuals tended to have lower skill levels than workers. The distribution of earnings and the distribution of skills varied widely among advanced countries, with the major English-speaking countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, having much greater inequality in both earnings and skills than continental European Union countries. According to data from the IALS, skill inequality explains only approximately 7% of the cross-country difference in earnings inequality. The dispersion of earnings in the United States was found to be larger in narrowly defined skill groups than was the dispersion of earnings for European workers overall. In the United States, IALS test scores rose substantially with movement up the income scale, with the increase in scores averaging 17 points per income quintile. The bulk of cross-country differences in earnings inequality were found to occur within skill groups rather than between them. (The bibliography contains 20 references. Twelve tables/figures are included.) (MN)

This paper presents the first results of a project initiated in 2004 by the OECD in collaboration with Eurostat and the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, and aimed at developing a regular and internationally comparable production system of indicators on the careers and mobility of doctorate holders. A first data collection was launched in September 2005, from which the results for seven countries are presented here. These data shed light on the main demographic, educational, labour market and mobility patterns of doctoral graduates. They also mark some progress in the understanding of both the measurement issues and patterns of international mobility, notably by the use of qualitative indicators such as the intentions or reasons for mobility. The results show in particular that the share of doctorate holders in the population or labour force is two or three times larger in Germany and Switzerland than in Australia, Canada and the United States. In these five countries, women represent only one-quarter to one-third of doctorate holders. The United States has an older population of doctorate holders than the other countries analysed in the paper and this population is still aging, as is also the case in Canada. Unemployment rates of doctorate holders remain low, but are relatively higher in natural sciences and in engineering. There are important salary differences between men and women and across sectors, especially in the United States. In the United States, as well as in Portugal and Argentina, salary is one of the main reasons why doctoral graduates are dissatisfied with their employment situation. There is a high share of foreign doctorate holders in Switzerland and also a higher share of foreign-born doctorate holders in Canada and Australia than in the United States. Many foreigners, however, come to work to the United States having been trained for research abroad and this trend has grown stronger in recent years. On the other hand, very few doctorate holders from the United States are internationally mobile. Among mobile young Canadian citizens, three-quarters choose the United States as their next destination. (Data tables are annexed. Contains 4 footnotes, 13 figures, 1 chart and 35 tables.)

Young adulthood is filled with major life events and pursuing higher education is one of the most common transitions. It is also the time when many young adults enter the labour market, move out of their parents' household and begin family formation. These significant events affect each other and impact the rest of their lives. Given the significance of these life events and their potential long lasting effects, it is important to try to understand these transitions. However, given their complexities and intertwining nature, studying them requires unique sets of data, such as the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS). This data is longitudinal, where the same set of respondents is interviewed at set time intervals. As such, the YITS data base is ideal for studying life transitions through time. This report presents results from the five cycles of YITS. Descriptive in nature, this report looks at education, early labour market outcomes and family formation of these young adults. The report is structured in the following way. First, educational pathways are explored. Second, early transitions into the labour market are analyzed. Third, transitions associated with family formation are discussed. Finally, the report provides a summary of some key findings. Appended are: (1) What is the Youth in Transition Survey (YITS)?; and (2) Tables. A cumulative index is included. (Contains 15 tables, 8 charts, 1 endnote.)

Canada weathered the global economic crisis well, mainly reflecting sustained growth in domestic pending, and the economy is continuing to grow despite the persistence of international turbulence, most recently stemming from the euro zone sovereign debt crisis. In Canada's case, several factors are acting in its favour. Federal fiscal plans are seen by markets as credible, favouring low borrowing costs. The banking system is sound and required no taxpayer bailouts during the 2008-09 crisis. Comparatively strong growth among emerging market economies has shifted global purchasing power to commodity exporters like Canada via both higher export prices and stronger currencies. Nevertheless, uncertainty regarding the global situation and risk-averse financial markets are a drag on business confidence and investment, while prolonged low interest rates could push mortgage-debt and house prices higher from already elevated levels, at least in some large cities. Canada enjoys strong institutions and policy credibility, but for many years its economic growth has relied mainly on increasing labour and capital inputs. By contrast, growth of multi-factor productivity (MFP) has been weak and declined further in the past decade. Innovation indicators such as business R&D and patenting rates are poor. Boosting innovation is an important and well established way of raising MFP growth, which is in turn needed to sustain rising living standards, especially as the population ages. The overarching theme of this "Survey" is improving the policy framework for innovation, including in particular by strengthening the role of the tertiary education sector. Chapter 1 considers how to raise business innovation and concludes that increased service-sector competition and better design of public support, including less reliance on tax credits, would help. Chapter 2 considers policies to expand the supply of highly skilled workers and enhance the performance of Canada's many tertiary education institutions to better meet the economy's skill needs for innovation and growth. (Contains 48 figures, 10 tables, and 15 boxes.) [This paper was featured in "The OECD 2012 Economic Survey of Canada and the Relationship between Higher Education and Productivity," "College Quarterly," Volume 15, Number 2, Spring 2012. To access this report, see EJ979426.]