The number of open jobs in Canada is growing
The skills shortage could affect the economy, but job seekers are in a good position now.
This summer, most Canadian provinces began implementing plans to phase out COVID-19-related restrictions. As businesses began to return to work, the number of open positions across the country skyrocketed.
For example, when hotels and restaurants opened, there were more than 129,000 new vacancies in the hospitality sector — even more than the health sector, which had been understaffed throughout the pandemic. The third-largest number of vacancies was in the retail sector.
There were a total of 815,800 job openings in Canada in June 2021 — a 22% increase over May. This is the highest since October 2020. The surge triggered an acute employee shortage. The provinces of British Columbia and Quebec have the most job vacancies, while Manitoba and Nova Scotia have the least. Demand for workers is only expected to increase in the near future.
Economist Carrie Freestone believes that a large number of vacancies may slow down economic growth, as companies will be forced to work with lower productivity. Employees, on the other hand, are now in an advantageous position, so they may ask for higher salaries or be more demanding about working conditions when they are interviewed.
It will be particularly difficult to hire people in low-paid positions. Although average salaries in the hospitality industry rose in June, workers in this sector are still paid 57% less than in other service sectors.
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