Job vacancies in Canada continued to register growth across all sectors, with most vacancy additions being in Ontario and Saskatchewan.
The overall growth in vacancies across all sectors in Canada was 3.8 percent as of September 2022. Out of the total 994,800 job vacancies, Ontario and Saskatchewan added 440,000 vacant positions. The employee shortages against the labor demand continued to rise as the job vacancy rate rose to 5.7 percent.
Vacant positions across all sectors
The criteria for a vacant job, as per Statistics Canada, are:
- Existing job position
- A maximum of one month to start the work
- Active search for workers by an employer to fill the position
Several sectors reported job vacancies as per these criteria.
The highest number of vacancies in the Healthcare sector
Over 159,500 vacant positions existed in Healthcare and Social Services sector, registering a year-on-year growth of 25 percent. The demand for doctors, surgeons, physicians, and nurses remained high because of the pandemic. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada eased permanent residence criteria for these professionals to address the mounting shortages of healthcare professionals.
Growth in vacant positions in the Accommodations and Food Services industry
The Accommodations and Food Services sector reported 152,400 job vacancies in September, registering 12 percent growth over the previous month. The growth in vacancies in the sector is because of seasonal factors besides returning to normal after the pandemic.
The retail trade industry’s labor demand matches the national average
With 117,300 vacant job positions in September, the retail trade sector posted a vacancy rate of 5.5 percent. The retail industry is witnessing labor demand on par with the national average.
Continuing labor demand in Professional Scientific and Technical Sector
The vast sector represents several professions, like management consulting, computer systems design, engineering, legal services, and accounting, to name a few. The latest report on the vacancy rate shows that the sector has 61,900 vacant job positions, with 5 percent of the job vacancy rate.
Vacancies drop in the Manufacturing Sector
The manufacturing sector is the only exception to overall growth in job vacancies. A consistent rise in hiring may be the reason for a drop in vacant job positions from 92,100 in August to 76,000 in September.
