Canada’s job vacancies drop for ninth quarter, led by sales and health sectors

Statistics Canada reported that job vacancies fell by 31,900 (-5.5 percent) to 546,100 in the third quarter of 2024, marking the ninth consecutive quarterly decline.  

While the drop in vacancies was smaller compared to the second quarter of 2024 (-63,200; -9.9 percent), the trend reflects ongoing challenges in Canada’s labour market.   

In the third quarter, job vacancies declined across both permanent (-27,800; -5.9 percent) and temporary positions (-4,100; -4.0 percent). Both full-time roles (-19,300; -4.5 percent) and part-time roles (-12,600; -8.5 percent) also saw significant reductions.   

Despite these declines, total labour demand—the combined number of filled and vacant positions—remained largely unchanged for the fourth straight quarter.  

On a year-over-year basis, total labour demand fell by 0.1 percent, a reversal from growth seen in the third quarter of 2023 (+0.8 percent) and 2022 (+6.3 percent).   

The job vacancy rate, representing the number of vacant positions as a proportion of total labour demand, decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.1 percent. This marks the ninth straight decline from a record high of 5.6 percent in the second quarter of 2022.   

The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio increased to 2.6 in the third quarter, up from 2.4 in the second quarter and 2.0 in the first quarter. The increase reflects both fewer job vacancies (-410,500; -43.0 percent) and a rise in unemployment (+374,200; +35.5 percent) since the third quarter of 2022.   

Job vacancies fell in four of the ten broad occupational groups:   

• Sales and service occupations declined by 12,500 (-7.4 percent) to 155,300. 

• Health occupations saw a drop of 8,200 (-9.5 percent) to 78,600. 

• Trades, transport and equipment operators fell by 6,900 (-6.6 percent) to 98,400. 

Manufacturing and utilities experienced the largest percentage decrease, down 3,100 (-16.1 percent). 

Sales and service occupations, though continuing an eight-quarter decline, accounted for 28.4 percent of total vacancies—the largest share of any occupational group.  

Year-over-year, job vacancies in this group dropped by 71,400 (-29.8 percent). Positions like food counter attendants, kitchen helpers (-17,300 to 30,100), retail salespersons (-10,100 to 20,000), cooks (-6,000 to 13,800), and light-duty cleaners (-5,100 to 9,000) recorded the most significant declines.   

Trades, transport and equipment operators have now seen vacancies drop for nine consecutive quarters since peaking at 195,000 in Q2 2022. Year-over-year, vacancies in this category fell by 43,100 (-28.5 percent).  

The steepest declines occurred among transport truck drivers (-7,000 to 13,200), construction helpers and labourers (-6,000 to 12,300), carpenters (-4,400 to 4,600), and automotive service technicians (-3,300 to 6,300).   

Health occupations experienced their second consecutive quarterly decline after a period of stability. Vacancies dropped by 8,200 (-9.5 percent) to 78,600 in Q3. Year-over-year, health job vacancies fell by 13,900 (-14.9 percent).  

Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (-6,400 to 23,900), nurse aides (-3,500 to 17,200), and licensed practical nurses (-2,500 to 10,600) accounted for nearly two-thirds (64.8 percent) of total vacancies in this category.   

Job vacancies decreased in eight provinces and two territories:   

• Ontario: -16,500 to 184,400 

• Quebec: -5,900 to 121,300 

• Saskatchewan: -1,900 to 17,900 

• Manitoba: -1,100 to 21,200 

• Nova Scotia: -1,000 to 14,600 

• Newfoundland and Labrador: -500 to 5,300 

• Northwest Territories: -300 to 1,100 

• Yukon: -200 to 800   

At the regional level, 20 of 69 economic regions recorded declines in job vacancies. Ontario regions led the declines, including Toronto (-5,900 to 91,500), Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie (-3,800 to 16,300), and Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula (-2,900 to 16,100).  

In contrast, three regions in Quebec saw increases: Laval (+700 to 4,100), Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec (+600 to 3,000), and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine (+300 to 1,100). Vacancies remained little changed in the remaining 46 regions.   

The average offered hourly wage grew 7.6 percent year-over-year in Q3, reaching $27.55. This marked an acceleration compared to 6.8 percent in the second quarter and 7.3 percent in the first quarter. 

Wage increases were partly due to a shift in job vacancies toward higher-wage occupations. Adjusting for this shift, wages grew by 5.0 percent year-over-year, up from 4.2 percent in Q2.   

Job vacancies fell across all educational levels sought by employers. Positions requiring a high school diploma or less saw the sharpest decline (-118,900; -28.7 percent), with sales and service occupations contributing to more than half (57.9 percent) of this drop.