GTHA Muslims Face $1.2 Billion Annual Wage Penalty, With Median Income $12,000 Below Non-Muslims
Updated
Updated · The Conversation · Jun 24
GTHA Muslims Face $1.2 Billion Annual Wage Penalty, With Median Income $12,000 Below Non-Muslims
1 articles · Updated · The Conversation · Jun 24
Summary
$1.2 billion in estimated annual income is lost by Muslims in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area because of a wage penalty tied to religious affiliation, according to a new pilot study using 2021 census data and a survey of 423 Muslims.
Median employment income for full-time, full-year workers aged 25 to 54 was $61,000 for Muslims versus $73,000 for non-Muslims, and Muslim women earned $54,000—64 cents for every dollar earned by white non-Muslim men.
Generation status did not erase the gap: first-generation Muslims earned $60,000 and second-generation Muslims $72,000, while second-generation visible minority Muslim women still made just $64,000—below first-generation non-Muslims at $67,000.
Household data showed 45% of Muslim households earned at least $110,000 versus 56% of non-Muslim households, while 17% to 18% of Muslims fell below the low-income threshold compared with 8% to 11% of non-Muslims.
Researchers said the report was released around the fifth anniversary of the 2021 London, Ontario attack to frame anti-Muslim violence and labour-market disparities as part of the same broader pattern of systemic Islamophobia.
Why are Canada's highly educated Muslims facing unemployment rates nearly double that of non-Muslims?
Is systemic Islamophobia costing the Canadian economy billions and undermining its multicultural promise?
The Muslim Wage Gap in the GTHA: Uncovering Systemic Economic Disparities and Calls for Action (York University, 2026)
Overview
York University's Islamophobia Research Hub released a landmark study in June 2026, examining economic disparities faced by Muslims in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The study rigorously analyzed socio-economic indicators to uncover a 'Muslim wage gap' and found that higher educational attainment does not always lead to equal economic opportunities for Muslims. These findings provide strong evidence of systemic barriers that contribute to economic inequality in the region. By highlighting these challenges, the study calls attention to the urgent need for targeted policy actions to address these persistent inequities and promote fair opportunities for all.