As Canada has regained its momentum on the economic front in the post-pandemic world, we have seen a drastic increase in the number of open jobs. While the type of job one takes up always comes down to personal preference, certain sectors have jobs that are in high demand, depending on the requirement of skills, the difficulty of the job, how fast that industry is growing, or the returns that filling that position promises. If you are a job seeker, looking to upgrade your skills, make a career move, or are a skilled immigrant moving to Canada, here are the top 10 most in-demand jobs in Canada - in no particular order:
As we move more of our activity online, data breaches have been going up each year and there has been a shortage of cybersecurity professionals all over the world in pretty much every industry. In 2022, it is estimated that a cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds. It is no surprise that The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected that the number of cybersecurity jobs (including analysts, administrators, and managers) will go up by 28% by 2026 in Canada.
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), by 2027, 87.7 million people will be needed in project management roles across 11 countries, with 90k being required in Canada alone. Project management is an in-demand skill regardless of sector or industry and is a highly suitable role if you enjoy project-based work. Project managers will be required in numerous industries, from construction and energy to IT and healthcare, making them one of the most desired jobs in Canada in 2022-23. You can view available Project Manager roles in Canada here.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment projected that software development positions are projected to grow by 21% until 2028; while this is a US-specific stat, the same trend is expected across Canada as well. This is no surprise, considering this blog was written using software and that you’re reading it on a website – only a few among the thousands of websites, apps, and pieces of software that are being used around us at any time of the day. A career in web, app, and software development continues to be lucrative and promises a lot of variety in how those skills can be applied.
Even before the pandemic, administrative jobs had a lot more demand than supply, with Manitoba and New Brunswick having the highest demand in Canada. When it comes to support desk jobs, IT support specialists are particularly in demand in Canada today, due to an increase in the types of technology and software that are being used daily. Fluency in English and French is an asset and competency in other languages are desired as Canada attracts more workers and families from around the world.
Cubicles not your thing? No need to worry, because the requirement for skilled trade workers has never been higher. About half of the available workforce is eligible to retire in the coming years. There is an expected demand for over 200k jobs opening in Canada in construction trades alone, over the next decade. The federal and provincial governments are subsidizing skilled trades training to encourage more people to move into this highly desirable and critically needed profession. Earlier this year, the Government of Canada also promoted skilled trades as a “first-choice career path”. Looking for a career shift? This could be an easy move.
Companies today understand the importance of data and how it can be leveraged to make informed business decisions. Big data, data science, and data analytics jobs are among the top digital occupations in Canada, and the versatility of the skillset provides job seekers with a variety of opportunities in the field.
Every company today strives to have an active online presence and traditional media has taken a backseat due to its lack of analytical abilities and the costs involved. The employment of marketing and advertising professionals is projected to grow by 10% by 2030, with a lot of these jobs focusing on digital marketing skills such as B2B sales, SEO, and social media.
The last few years have caused a significant increase in online sales. While the supply chain and logistics industries took a hit due to the pandemic, this change in consumer buying patterns has led to an increase in the demand for logistics, transportation, and supply chain experts. Now, coupled with ongoing global supply issues, the procurement industry has firmly established itself as a critical sector — impacting everyone. On top of that, a lot of professionals in these industries are expected to retire in the coming years, which will further lead to an increase in job openings.
Employment growth and a highly diverse pool of candidates has made HR and talent acquisition some of the most in-demand skills in Canada. If we can identify one benefit from the global pandemic, it is the increased focus on businesses to adequately address stress, mental health, total diversity and inclusion. Human Resources has been pushed to the forefront in smart, growth-oriented businesses. HR specialists (total rewards, talent acquisition, change management, learning and development) and generalists are in high demand across the country to help companies find and retain the best talent.
Some of the jobs mentioned in this list already fall under the super-broad umbrella of engineering jobs, but there is so much variety in engineering jobs that they warrant a separate section for the ones that don’t fall in the above list. Engineering skills are in high demand across the world; in fact, engineering has been proven to be one of the most valuable college majors.
The top five in-demand jobs for engineering majors belong to Electrical, Software, Mechanical, Biomedical/Chemical, and Civil Engineers due to their broad application, however, the ones that don’t fall on this list are still in incredibly high demand. You can browse through the plethora of engineering jobs that are available in Canada right now here.
According to Statistics Canada, job vacancy rates in Canada have been trending upward right since the beginning of 2016. While job openings are seeing steady growth in the technology sector, other jobs such as accounting, registered nurses, financial advisors, and sales associates are also on the rise. You can check all of the available jobs in your city on our job board.