Skip to content

Advertisement

Canada gained 63,800 jobs in September, according to Statistics Canada's latest Labour Force Survey. The unemployment rate is still relatively low at 5.5 percent.

The latest Labour Force Survey  captures Canada’s labour market conditions for the week of September 10 to 16, 2023.

Statistics Canada noted that the upward trend in employment continues as Canada experiences its highest rate of population growth since 1957. The Canadian population aged 15 and older increased by about 82,000 in September.

The employment gains were more than triple what analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecast. Experts had predicted that a net 20,000 jobs would be gained in September and the unemployment rate would edge up to 5.6 percent.

In addition to the new jobs, average hourly wage for permanent employees rose 5.3 percent from September 2022.

This high wage growth has the potential to worry the Bank of Canada. The central bank has said that it will be difficult to curb inflation if wages keep their current patters of rising between 4 and 5 percent each year.

Canada’s labor market supported by strong immigration, has been resilient even as the Bank of Canada raised its key overnight rate 10 times since March 2022 in an effort to cool the economy.

Planning your career in Canda? See the most in-demand jobs in 2023.

If you are considering a move to Canada, consult this guide to identify an appropriate immigration pathway.

You can also check your eligibility for more than 20 different Canadian immigration programs by taking Moving2Canada’s free Canada Immigration Quiz.

Advertisement

Expert resources to help immigrants get jobs in Canada

Canada’s job market provides a wealth of opportunity for newcomers, but it is only that — an opportunity.

To take full advantage, recent and prospective immigrants can leverage free government-funded resources and programs. We recently partnered with Canada InfoNet, a government-funded pre-arrival employment support program, to bring you two expert guides on transitioning to a career in Canada:

The outlook on Canadian construction and infrastructure

The September Labour Force Survey says that employment in the construction sector fell 18,000 (-1.1%). Although this drop partially offset an increase in August (+34,000; +2.2%), employment in construction has declined by 3.4% (-55,000) since the recent high in January 2023.

Ruairi Spillaine, Outpost Recruitment and Moving2Canada founder, analyzes what’s happening in the construction sector in Canada.

“Rising interest rates along with cost escalations are strongly impacting commercial and residential construction projects. The finanical challenges facing the residential sector come despite an acute need for additional homes from coast to coast. Public funded projects continue to move forward with budget restrictions, with increased investment across education, healthcare, transportation and energy.

Canada's job market: Ruairi Spillane, founder of Outpost Recruitment
Moving2Canada and Outpost Recruitment Founder, Ruairi Spillane

If you are interested in working in Canada’s construction sector, Outpost helps motivated candidates find suitable jobs in Canada.

The agency works with general contractors, subcontractors, developers, and consultants who are hiring across senior management, operations, project management, site, design, quality, and commercial personnel.

Outpost Recruitment is actively looking for candidates for projects across Canada. View the latest job postings here.

How to take advantage in Canada’s job market

The Moving2Canada team has a special feature for people who want to get a job in Canada or accelerate their career here. Readers can now opt in to hear from recruiters and employers we partner with and upload a resume to their account, all for free.

We’re excited to help more newcomers and people wishing to move to Canada in their career goals.

Advertisement

How to get a job in Canada

If you’re looking for a job in Canada here are some steps you can take to land that sweet, sweet Canadian job offer.

Here’s a popular webinar from recruitment expert and Moving2Canada founder, Ruairi Spillane, about how to create the best resume for the Canadian jobs market:

New and improved Jobs Board

We have worked hard over recent weeks to ramp up the number and range of job postings on our Jobs Board.

We also have a number of other resources for helping you find your career in Canada. You’ll find broad-stroke information that will arm you with the knowledge you need to succeed, as well as industry-specific insights into finding jobs by industry, such as teaching.

Don’t forget to complete or update your Moving2Canada profile to hear about job opportunities in your industry in Canada!

Want to dig deeper into the Canada Jobs Report data? Try these interactive tools, courtesy of StatsCan.