On this page you will find:
- The latest Canada job vacancy figures
- Which occupations recorded increasing demand
- Why trades and transport workers stand out
- The latest demand for technology workers
- How education level affects job prospects
- Where vacancies are increasing in Canada
- What the figures mean for prospective immigrants
Canada had more than half a million vacant jobs in the second quarter of 2026, with growing demand for tradespeople, truck drivers and technology workers offering opportunities for prospective immigrants.
Statistics Canada recorded 510,200 job vacancies during the quarter, broadly unchanged from the first three months of the year and from the same period in 2025.
However, the headline figure masks significant changes in where employers need workers.
Vacancies increased year over year in trades, transport and equipment occupations, sales and service, manufacturing and utilities, and natural and applied sciences.
At the same time, vacancies declined in several fields requiring higher levels of education, including health occupations and education, law, social, community and government services.
The figures suggest prospective immigrants should look beyond Canada’s overall job vacancy total when assessing their employment prospects. Occupation, qualifications and location increasingly matter in a labour market that has cooled significantly from the shortages seen immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canada Still Has More Than 500,000 Job Vacancies
Canadian employers reported 510,200 vacant positions in the second quarter of 2026.
The job vacancy rate remained at 2.8 per cent, unchanged both from the previous quarter and the second quarter of 2025.
Canada also had three unemployed people for every vacant job. That ratio was unchanged from the first quarter and slightly below the 3.1 recorded a year earlier.
Another indicator suggests employers are finding it easier to recruit workers than during the severe labour shortages of recent years.
Some 25.9 per cent of vacancies had remained open for at least 90 days, down from 28 per cent in the first quarter. The figure peaked at 39.5 per cent in late 2022.
For prospective immigrants, this means Canada’s labour market remains substantial, but simply finding an employer with an unfilled position may be more difficult than it was several years ago.
Trades And Transport Workers See Growing Demand
Trades, transport and equipment occupations produced some of the strongest numbers in the latest report.
Canada had 98,600 vacancies in this broad occupational group in the second quarter. That represented a 6.6 per cent increase from a year earlier.
Several occupations recorded particularly large increases.
Vacancies for material handlers rose by 2,100 to 9,200, while vacancies for residential and commercial installers and servicers increased by 1,200 to 2,900.
Transport truck driver vacancies also increased by 1,200, reaching 13,800.
The broader year-over-year data showed vacancies in trades, transport and equipment occupations increasing by 7.7 per cent, while manufacturing and utilities recorded a 19.2 per cent increase.
These figures could be particularly relevant to prospective immigrants with skilled trades qualifications or experience in transportation, construction and industrial occupations.
Technology Job Vacancies Rise For Second Straight Quarter
Canada’s technology and technical labour market also showed signs of strengthening.
Vacancies in natural and applied sciences and related occupations increased by 4.5 per cent in the second quarter to 42,300.
It marked the second consecutive quarterly increase following six quarters in which vacancies had shown little change.
Compared with a year earlier, vacancies in this occupational category increased by 6 per cent.
Software developers and programmers recorded one of the biggest increases, with vacancies rising by 900 to 3,500.
Vacancies for user support technicians increased by 500 to 2,400, while vacancies for construction estimators rose by 400 to 1,200.
The figures suggest parts of Canada’s technology and technical labour market are improving after a period of weaker hiring.
Prospective immigrants should still examine demand for their specific occupation rather than assuming that all technology jobs are experiencing the same conditions.
Workers With Trade Qualifications Face Less Competition
One of the most significant findings for prospective immigrants concerns education requirements.
Vacancies requiring a trade certificate or diploma increased by 3.9 per cent compared with a year earlier.
There were just 1.7 unemployed people with this level of education for every vacancy requiring a trade certificate or diploma. That was the lowest unemployment-to-vacancy ratio among all education levels.
The figures point to comparatively tight labour market conditions for workers with trade qualifications.
Canada also recorded its first year-over-year increase since 2022 in vacancies requiring a high school diploma or less.
These vacancies increased by 7,000, or 2.4 per cent.
Vacancies Requiring University Degrees Decline
The picture was different for jobs requiring higher levels of education.
Vacancies requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher fell by 5,100, or 5.9 per cent, compared with the second quarter of 2025.
There were 4.9 unemployed people with a bachelor’s degree or higher for every vacancy requiring that level of education.
That does not mean university-educated prospective immigrants cannot find work in Canada. Demand varies substantially between occupations, as demonstrated by the increase in vacancies for software developers and other natural and applied sciences occupations.
However, the figures show that possessing a university degree does not automatically translate into stronger employment prospects.
Health Job Vacancies Fall
Healthcare remains an important part of Canada’s immigration strategy, but the latest labour market figures show that vacancies have declined from a year earlier.
Health occupation vacancies fell by 5,500, or 7.9 per cent, in the second quarter compared with the same period of 2025.
Vacancies in education, law and social, community and government services recorded an even larger decline of 13.3 per cent.
Prospective immigrants should not interpret falling vacancies as meaning Canada no longer needs healthcare workers.
Job vacancy statistics measure unfilled positions at a particular point in time and do not account for other factors affecting immigration opportunities, including long-term workforce requirements, retirements, population growth or federal and provincial immigration selection priorities.
They also do not remove the need for internationally trained professionals to meet Canadian licensing and regulatory requirements before working in many regulated occupations.
Where Are Job Vacancies Increasing In Canada?
National figures can hide major regional differences.
New Brunswick recorded a 10.3 per cent year-over-year increase in vacancies, while Newfoundland and Labrador recorded a 12 per cent increase.
Vacancies in the Northwest Territories increased by 35.1 per cent, although its much smaller labour market means relatively modest changes in the number of jobs can produce large percentage movements.
Statistics Canada also found significant differences at the economic region level.
Laurentides in Quebec recorded the largest year-over-year increase in the number of vacancies, rising by 1,400, or 22.2 per cent. Thompson–Okanagan in British Columbia added 1,000 vacancies, an increase of 9.4 per cent.
Meanwhile, vacancies fell in areas including Capitale-Nationale and Outaouais in Quebec and North Shore in Nova Scotia.
For prospective immigrants, these differences underline the importance of researching local labour markets rather than relying solely on national employment figures.
Wage Growth For Vacant Jobs Slows
The average wage offered for vacant positions increased to $28.55 per hour in the second quarter.
That represented an increase of 55 cents, or 2 per cent, from a year earlier.
However, wage growth has slowed considerably. Offered wages for vacant positions were increasing at an annual rate of 7.6 per cent as recently as the third quarter of 2024.
Average wages for all Canadian employees grew faster than wages attached to vacant jobs, increasing by 3.6 per cent year over year in the second quarter.
The slowdown provides further evidence that employers face less pressure to compete for scarce workers than during Canada’s post-pandemic labour shortages.
What Does This Mean For Prospective Immigrants?
The latest figures show that Canada still has a large number of job openings, but the labour market has changed.
Prospective immigrants should increasingly focus on specific occupations and regions rather than Canada’s overall vacancy numbers.
The strongest signals in the second-quarter data come from trades, transportation, manufacturing and natural and applied sciences.
Workers with trade qualifications also face the lowest unemployment-to-vacancy ratio of any education group.
Meanwhile, people targeting jobs that require a bachelor’s degree or higher face a more competitive environment overall, although individual occupations such as software development are moving against that broader trend.
Canada’s immigration system and labour market also measure different things. An occupation targeted through a federal or provincial immigration program will not necessarily have the highest current vacancy rate, while a high number of vacancies does not necessarily provide a direct immigration pathway.
Prospective immigrants should therefore consider both sides of the equation – whether their skills are in demand and whether they qualify for a Canadian immigration program that can lead to a work permit or permanent residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many job vacancies are there in Canada in 2026?
Canada had 510,200 job vacancies in the second quarter of 2026. The number was broadly unchanged from the previous quarter and from a year earlier. The national job vacancy rate stood at 2.8 per cent, with three unemployed people for every available vacancy.
Which occupations have the most promising vacancy trends in Canada?
Trades, transport and equipment occupations recorded strong year-over-year growth, while vacancies also increased in manufacturing and utilities and natural and applied sciences. Specific occupations recording increases included truck drivers, material handlers, software developers and programmers, user support technicians and construction estimators.
Is Canada still looking for skilled trades workers?
The latest figures show relatively strong demand for workers with trade qualifications. Vacancies requiring a trade certificate or diploma increased by 3.9 per cent year over year. There were 1.7 unemployed people for every vacancy requiring trade qualifications – the lowest ratio among the education levels measured.
Are technology jobs in demand in Canada?
Demand has strengthened in some technology occupations. Vacancies in natural and applied sciences increased for a second consecutive quarter and were 6 per cent higher than a year earlier. Software developers and programmers and user support technicians were among the occupations recording notable increases in vacancies.
Does having a job in demand make it easier to immigrate to Canada?
Not automatically. Labour demand can improve a candidate’s employment prospects, while some immigration programs target particular occupations or workers with Canadian job offers. However, applicants must separately meet the eligibility requirements of the relevant federal or provincial immigration program.