Never in recorded history has Canada boasted an unemployment rate of less than five percent, but it’s getting mighty close right now.
The latest official statistics, released in StatsCan’s Labour Force Survey, reveal an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent in Canada’s job market after the addition of an estimated 15,300 net new jobs in April.
These April job gains followed much larger gains through February and March, totalling 409,000 new jobs.
A shrinking labour pool and overheating job market is generally good for workers, as there is a healthy supply of work and a labour shortage. This gives workers more leverage as they seek gainful employment.
Newcomers to Canada, who have enjoyed historically low unemployment over recent months, generally fall into the “core age” category of workers aged 25 to 54. The unemployment rate for these workers is now just 4.3 percent, the lowest recorded rate since comparable data became available in 1976.
Employment is generally holding steady across services- and goods-producing sectors. Employment in professional, scientific and technical services increased faster than in the economy as a whole last month, as did employment in public administration. Retail and construction were down slightly after months of consecutive growth.
The latest report shines a spotlight on some aspects of Canada’s job market. For example, 24.5% percent of workers now earn at least $40 per hour, up from 18% in 2019.
Also, the working-from-home cohort is shrinking in Canada’s job market as more workers return to offices and other job sites. In April, 19% of workers usually worked exclusively from home, down from 24.3% in January.
People considering a move to Canada can consult this guide to identify an appropriate immigration pathway.
Expert resources to help immigrants get jobs in Canada
Canada’s job market provides a wealth of opportunity for newcomers, but it is only that — an opportunity.
To take full advantage, recent and prospective immigrants can leverage free government-funded resources and programs. We recently partnered with Canada InfoNet, a government-funded pre-arrival employment support program, to bring you two expert guides on transitioning to a career in Canada:
- Transitioning to the Canadian job market
- How to find a career mentor in Canada
The outlook on Canadian construction and infrastructure
Construction has accounted for around 1 in 4 new jobs in Canada over the past six months, with newcomers taking advantage of a job market that favours workers.
Throughout the pandemic, Outpost has remained nimble and candidate-focused, able to find suitable roles for motivated candidates. The agency works with general contractors, subcontractors, developers, and consultants who are hiring across senior management, operations, project management, site, design, quality, and commercial personnel.
Outpost Recruitment is actively looking for candidates for projects across Canada. View the latest job postings here.
How to take advantage in Canada’s job market
The Moving2Canada team has added a new feature for people who want to get a job in Canada or accelerate their career here. Readers can now opt in to hear from recruiters and employers we partner with and upload a resume to their account, all for free.
- If you already have a Moving2Canada account, sign in here and complete or update your profile to hear about job opportunities.
- If you don’t already have a Moving2Canada account, please register here and complete your profile.
We’re excited to help more newcomers and people wishing to move to Canada in their career goals.