PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Feir, Donn. L.
AU  - Foley, Kelly
AU  - Jones, Maggie E. C.
TI  - Heterogeneous Returns to Active Labour Market Programs for Indigenous Populations
AID  - 10.3368/jhr.1122-12635R2
DP  - 2025 May 09
TA  - Journal of Human Resources
PG  - 1122-12635R2
4099  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2025/05/05/jhr.1122-12635R2.short
4100  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/early/2025/05/05/jhr.1122-12635R2.full
AB  - Active labour market programs for Indigenous Peoples are common, yet there exists little assessment of their effects. We study the largest active labour market program for Indigenous populations in Canada using rich administrative data on the universe of participants in the program. Two years after participation, average earnings were 6% higher among individuals who participated in high-intensity programs compared to those who only received job counselling or search assistance. However, we find substantial heterogeneity in these effects across legally distinct Indigenous populations. We suggest that understanding the different institutional environments facing Indigenous groups is essential for understanding this heterogeneity.