Canada’s Top 15 In-Demand Jobs for 2026

Randstad Canada says employers are looking for workers with strong communication skills, good customer service, and reliable work habits. Even though AI and automation are growing fast, many of the jobs hiring the most in 2026 still depend on real people – not machines. 

Below, we share Canada’s Top 15 Most In-Demand Jobs for 2026. You’ll find the average pay, what each job involves, and why it’s in demand. 

Canada’s Top 15 Most In-Demand Jobs for 2026

The details below (NOC codes, TEER levels, typical requirements, and licensing notes) are based on Canada’s Job Bank and the National Occupational Classification (NOC). Requirements can vary by province and employer, so always double-check Job Bank for the location where you plan to work.

1) Sales Associate / Sales Representative

• Average salary: $71,792/year

• NOC: 64100 – Retail salespersons (TEER 4)

• Immigration note: Not usually “skilled” for CEC (TEER 4). (May still help for some PNP streams.)

• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school; on-the-job training is common.

(Some sales rep roles may also fall under NOC 64101 or 62100, depending on duties.)

2) Administrative Assistant

• Average salary: $55,496/year

• NOC: 13110 – Administrative assistants (TEER 3)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 3).
• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school + a 1–2 year college program for admin/office support (often preferred).

3) Customer Service Representative

• Average salary: $54,080/year

• NOC: 64409 – Other customer and information services representatives (TEER 4)

• Immigration note: Not usually “skilled” for CEC (TEER 4).

• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school; company training is common.

(Financial institutions’ specific roles may use NOC 64400.)

4) Accounting Clerk & Technician

• Average salary: $52,583/year

• NOC: 14200 – Accounting and related clerks (TEER 4)

• Immigration note: Not usually “skilled” for CEC (TEER 4)

• NOC: 14200 –12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (TEER 2)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 2)
• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school + bookkeeping/accounting courses; accounting software experience is often preferred.

5) Receptionist

• Average salary: $48,838/year

• NOC: 14101 – Receptionists (TEER 4)

• Immigration note: Not usually “skilled” for CEC (TEER 4).

• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school; basic office software skills; experience is often preferred.

6) Bookkeeper

• Average salary: $58,543/year

• NOC: 12200 – Accounting technicians and bookkeepers (TEER 2)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 2).
• Employment requirements (typical): College courses or a program in bookkeeping/accounting; experience with tools like QuickBooks is often requested.

7) Retail Sales Associate

• Average salary: $38,231/year

• NOC: 64100 – Retail salespersons (TEER 4)

• Immigration note: Not usually “skilled” for CEC (TEER 4). (May still be useful for some PNP streams or to gain Canadian work experience.)
• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school; on-the-job training is common.

8) Store Manager

• Average salary: $73,166/year

• NOC: 60020 – Retail and wholesale trade managers (TEER 0)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 0). (Often eligible for Express Entry and many PNP streams.)
• Employment requirements (typical): Several years of retail experience; supervisory/management experience is often required.

9) Pharmacy Assistant

• Average salary: $47,386/year

• NOC: 33103 – Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (TEER 3)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 3).

• Regulated: Requirements vary by province – check Job Bank for where you plan to work.
• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school; pharmacy assistant course may be preferred; pharmacy experience helps.

10) Registered Practical Nurse (RPN)

• Average salary: $46,449/year

• NOC: 32101 – Licensed practical nurses (TEER 2)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 2).

• Regulated: Yes – licensing/registration required in every province/territory.
• Employment requirements (typical): Practical nursing diploma + provincial/territorial registration/licensing (often includes exams and credential checks).

11) Dental Assistant

• Average salary: $53,639/year

• NOC: 33100 – Dental assistants and dental laboratory assistants (TEER 3)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 3).

• Regulated (province note): Registration is required in all provinces except Ontario and Québec (Job Bank).
• Employment requirements (typical): Dental assistant program (or on-the-job training in some cases); certification/registration may be needed depending on province and duties.

12) Registered Nurse (RN)

• Average salary: $92,566/year

• NOC: 31301 – Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (TEER 1)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 1).

• Regulated: Yes – licensing/registration required in every province/territory.
• Employment requirements (typical): Nursing degree + provincial/territorial registration/licensing (often includes exams + credential review).

13) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

• Average salary: $68,320/year

• NOC: 32101 – Licensed practical nurses (TEER 2)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 2). (Also used in many PNP streams.)

• Regulated: Yes – licensing/registration required in all provinces and territories.

• Employment requirements (typical): Practical nursing diploma + provincial/territorial registration/licensing.

14) Office Administrator / Clerk

• Average salary: $53,463/year

• NOC: 13100 – Administrative officers (TEER 3)

(Some clerical roles may also fall under NOC 14100 or 14101.)

• Immigration note: Skilled for CEC (TEER 3) if duties match “administrative officer” work. (If it’s mostly basic clerical/reception work, it may fit a TEER 4 office support NOC instead.)

• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school; office/admin training or a college program is often preferred; experience helps.

15) Forklift Operator

• Average wage: $24.10/hour

• NOC: 75101 – Material handlers (TEER 5)

• Immigration note: Not usually “skilled” for CEC (TEER 5).

• Regulated (province note): Québec lists forklift truck operator as regulated (Job Bank); elsewhere it’s usually employer-required certification.

• Employment requirements (typical): Secondary school is often requested; forklift certificate and safety training are commonly required by employers.

Disclaimer: NOC codes and employment requirements provided are for general information purposes only. Your correct NOC code and applicable employment requirements will depend on the specific duties and responsibilities of your individual role.

Top Skills Employers Are Looking for in 2026 

Alongside specific job titles, Randstad highlights several skills important across the most in-demand roles: 

• People skills: communication, customer service, interpersonal skills

• Getting-things-done skills: attention to detail, problem-solving, operations, project management

• Business skills: sales, merchandising, management & leadership, accounting

• Digital basics: Microsoft Outlook, spreadsheets

• Tech skills (for some roles): programming languages like SQL or Python 

Candidates who combine technical ability with strong human skills are best positioned to succeed in Canada’s 2026 job market. 

Why These Jobs Are in Demand in 2026 

Randstad points to a few big forces shaping hiring across Canada. The roles growing fastest aren’t flashy or new, and many jobs hiring in 2026 have something in common. They need real people, because work that depends on empathy, communication, and relationship-building is hard to hand over to a machine. 

Healthcare is hiring fast 

Healthcare employers are hiring more in 2026 to fill staff shortages. Over 420,000 health care workers in Canada are age 55 or older, and many may retire over the next 10 years or so. At the same time, Canada’s population is getting older, so hospitals, clinics, and long-term care homes desperately need more staff. 

Customer experience is a business advantage 

Customer experience matters even more, especially as online shopping and digital services become more common. People can switch brands in seconds, so one slow reply, one confusing return, or one bad interaction can be enough to lose a customer. That’s why employers are putting more focus on sales and customer service roles. 

Logistics keeps everything moving 

Behind the scenes, logistics helps move the things we use every day, like groceries, medical supplies, construction materials, and store products. Warehouses and supply chains need reliable, skilled workers to keep goods moving between cities, provinces, and even countries. 

Admin and finance work still holds everything together 

From bookkeeping to office administration, these roles keep businesses organized and on track. Even with more automation, this work still needs a human eye to make sure details, records, and finances are handled properly. 

In short, the jobs growing fastest in 2026 are the ones that keep Canada running. They’re also the roles where people still matter most, because you can automate a process, but you can’t replace human judgment, care, and connection. 

What This Means for Job Seekers in Canada 

Many of Canada’s top jobs for 2026 are entry-to mid-level, which is good news if you’re a newcomer, a recent grad, or switching careers. Some jobs need training or a certificate, like nursing. But many others are more about transferable skills, like customer service, organization, solving problems, and using basic digital tools. 

If you’re planning to work in Canada, or you’re already here, focus your job search on in demand skills. Building the right skills for them can make a real difference for your future career. 

Need help finding work in Canada? Outpost Recruitment connects job seekers in the construction and construction engineering sector with employers, with opportunities for both Canadian-based candidates and skilled workers arriving from abroad. 

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