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Canada’s Skilled Worker Shortage: Full-Time Workers Needed Across Industries

Published on: October 8th, 2019

Last updated: April 13th, 2022

By: Rebecca Major

Canada has seen a major boost in new jobs added this year, and is faced with the demand for skilled workers who can fulfill these jobs. According to a survey from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), over 39% of Canadian small and mid-sized businesses found it difficult to find qualified workers to meet labour shortages. Many employers are eager to provide more training and recruit skilled foreign workers to address the shortage. 

In May, it was reported that Canada had created a total of one million jobs since 2015. However, in the first quarter of 2019, 435,000 jobs were found to be unfilled. Although there continues to be more jobs every year, Canadian employers continue to face a high demand for workers with particular skills and expertise that can address the labour needs of the province, region or city.

Most In-Demand Skills for Employers

Among the skilled jobs that were most in-demand, skilled trades such as electricians, welders and mechanics ranked first. Also included in the top ten list were occupations in IT, engineering, sales, healthcare, and education. 

To help resolve these issues, many employers are adjusting their education or experience requirements and investing in additional training to upskill their workforce. 56% of employers are also choosing to go beyond the traditional talent pool by recruiting outside of the country, this is particularly accurate for workers in high tech fields, where international talent is being drawn to Canadian tech hubs.

Live and Work in Canada

With the current skilled labour shortage and the high number of unfilled jobs, now is a great time for those seeking to make Canada their forever home. The number of newcomers in Canada who had full-time employment reached an all-time high last year!

The Federal Express Entry system is the fastest path to Canadian permanent residence for skilled workers. Applicants are rewarded for high levels of education, language proficiency in English or French, and work experience. Those who receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residence will arrive in Canada during the best time for job seekers!

Want to work and live in Canada? Complete our free online assessment and someone from our team will get back to you shortly!