Job vacancies in Canada remain near record highs

Alexandra Miekus
Published: February 4, 2022

The number of job vacancies in Canada remains high with 874,700 unfilled positions, according to the latest Statistics Canada figures.

Data from November suggests the number of job vacancies was down 9.3% from October, but still significantly higher than before the start of the pandemic. Although the last two months have seen a decline from the all-time high recorded in September, the number of unfilled positions remains 72% above that of the fourth quarter of 2019.

The job vacancy rate, which measures job vacancies as a share of all vacant and filled positions, was 5.1% in November, up 2.1 percentage points from before the pandemic, according to Statistics Canada.

Get a Free Canadian Immigration Assessment

An all-time high of 51,500 vacancies was recorded in the transportation and warehousing sector in November. The vacancy rate for this sector was 6.2% in November, the highest recorded monthly rate since such data began being collected in October 2020.

Other key economic sectors affected by high job vacancies are accommodation and food services, healthcare, and construction.

The month of November saw an 11.7% drop in vacancies in the accommodation and food services sector to 130,100. Despite this drop, the sector posted a 9.9% vacancy rate in November, outpacing all other sectors for the seventh consecutive month.

In the health care sector, the number of vacancies stood at 119,600, with a vacancy rate of 5.2%.

In construction, the number of vacancies was 67,800 in November, with a vacancy rate of 5.6%.

Compared with the previous month, the number of job vacancies decreased in six provinces in November, with the largest declines in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Quebec. In contrast, Manitoba reached a record high of 27,300 job vacancies, although the province's vacancy rate of 4.5% remained below the national average of 5.1%.

According to the payroll survey data provided by Statistics Canada, 37,200 positions were filled in November, up 0.4% from pre-pandemic levels and the sixth consecutive monthly increase.

The increase in employment in November was primarily in the service sector, including accommodation and food services, public administration and professional, scientific, and technical services. According to Statistics Canada, these gains in employment were due to the easing of capacity limits and distancing requirements for many businesses during the last week of October and the beginning of November.

The construction sector has also fared particularly well across Canada, with all construction industries returning to or exceeding their pre-pandemic employment levels.

Average weekly hours and wages were little changed in November. The average hourly wage earner worked about 31 hours per week, while salaried employees worked 37.

Weekly earnings changed very little in November, averaging $1,131.

Overall, November showed encouraging signs of employment and economic recovery in Canada. The effects of the recent Omicron wave, which began in late November and now appears to be subsiding, are still unknown but could affect Canada's economic progress in the early months of 2022.

Get a Free Canadian Immigration Assessment

© CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.

Share this article
Share your voice
Did you find this article helpful?
Thank you for your feedback.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Did you find this article helpful?
Please provide a response
Thank you for your helpful feedback
Please contact us if you would like to share additional feedback, have a question, or would like Canadian immigration assistance.
  • Do you need Canadian immigration assistance? Contact the Contact Cohen Immigration Law firm by completing our form
  • Send us your feedback or your non-legal assistance questions by emailing us at media@canadavisa.com
Related articles
Three provinces nominate candidates in this week’s PNP results
Three provinces have issued expressions of interest to PNP candidates this week.
Eight ways to show proof of financial sufficiency as an international student in Canada
female student holding her diploma on graduation day and looking at camera.
Is it worth entering the Express Entry pool if your CRS is low?
Express Entry CRS scores have recently been high. Is it worth submitting an application?
Here’s why the number of temporary workers in Quebec has nearly quadrupled in eight years
The sun setting over an aerial view of Laval, Quebec, Canada
Top Stories
Alberta and Manitoba begin issuing Provincial Attestation Letters
Building A Resume for Job Hunting in Canada: Useful Tips to Build a Strong Resume
Where do most South Asians live in Canada?
Join our free newsletter. Get Canada's top immigration stories delivered to your inbox.
Subscribe
More in Canada
Building A Resume for Job Hunting in Canada: Useful Tips to Build a Strong Resume
As you navigate the exciting path of job hunting, one of the important tools you will need is a well-crafted resume.
Where do most South Asians live in Canada?
A South Asian family in their living room
How to file your taxes in Canada as a newcomer
A slew of rebate cheques in front of multiple Canadian dollar bills.
IRCC’s action plan to address the permanent residence application backlog
CIC News has obtained IRCC's timeline to address recommendations from a recent OAG report on the backlog of PR applications.
Link copied to clipboard