The sectors with the most job vacancies in Canada in 2022
The Canadian labour market continues to recover according to a new Statistics Canada report. The data reveals that Canada’s job vacancies climbed to 957,500 in the first quarter of 2022. This is the highest quarterly number on record. Moreover, vacancies increased by 72.3% (+401,900) compared to the first quarter of 2020.
Let’s explore the sectors with the most job vacancies in the first quarter of 2022.
Sectors facing record-high job vacancies
The health care and social assistance sector
According to Statistics Canada, the number of job vacancies in this sector reached a record high of 136,800. Labour shortages in this sector were high before the pandemic, but COVID-19 pushed up demand even further. Also, 67.7% of the overall vacancies in health occupations were in the following occupations:
- nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates;
- registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses; and
- licensed practical nurses.
Job vacancies in the construction sector
Employers in the construction sector were actively seeking to fill 81,500 vacant positions in the first quarter of 2022. This is up to 7.1% (+5,400) from the fourth quarter of 2021. It is also more than double the number (38,800) observed in the first quarter of 2020.
The large increases in vacancies in the construction sector in the first quarter of 2022 were spread across several occupations, including:
- construction trades helpers and labourers, and
- carpenters.
Manufacturing and retail trade sectors
Job vacancies continue to reach new record highs in the manufacturing and retail trade sectors. The number of job vacancies peaked at 87,400 in the manufacturing sector in the first quarter of 2022. Up 5.3% (+4,400) from the record high of the fourth quarter of 2021.
Across all subsectors, the largest increases were in:
- food manufacturing, and
- fabricated metal product manufacturing.
On the other hand, in the retail trade sector, the number of job vacancies was 114,600 in the first quarter. Moreover, increases in vacancies occurred in the food and beverage stores and general merchandise stores subsectors.
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Recent declines and changes in the sectors with most job vacancies
Accommodation and food services had about 133,800 vacant positions in the first quarter of 2022. Despite the large number, it had actually decreased about 12% from the previous quarter.
Also, employers in the professional, scientific and technical services sector were looking to fill a total of 68,800 vacant positions in Q1. Little changed from the record high reached in the fourth quarter of 2021 but up 65.2% (+27,100) from the first quarter of 2020.
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