Canada Holds at 510,200 Job Openings in Q2 2026

Canada had 510,200 unfilled jobs in the second quarter of 2026, with vacancies remaining largely unchanged even as overall employment demand grew, Statistics Canada reported September 15. For people looking for work, the national total tells only part of the story: hiring needs differ widely by occupation and region.

Vacancies Steady, Labour Demand Rises

The job vacancy rate held at 2.8%, unchanged from both the previous quarter and a year earlier. Part-time openings increased by 3,600, or 2.8%, while full-time positions showed little movement.

Total labour demand, which includes filled jobs and vacancies, increased by 58,100 positions, or 0.3%, from the first quarter. Payroll employment accounted for 55,600 of those additional positions. Compared with the second quarter of 2025, total labour demand rose by 181,100, or 1%.

There were three unemployed people for every vacant job, the same ratio as in the first quarter and slightly below the 3.1 recorded a year earlier.

Fewer Positions Remain Open for Months

The share of vacancies that had remained unfilled for at least 90 days fell to 25.9%, down from 28% in the first quarter. That was its lowest level since the second quarter of 2021. At its late-2022 peak, the share reached 39.5%.

The decline suggests a smaller proportion of vacancies requiring extended recruitment, although it does not show how easily any individual position can be filled.

Technology and Trades Show Gains

Natural and applied sciences occupations recorded 42,300 openings, up 1,800, or 4.5%, from the previous quarter. Compared with a year earlier, software developer and programmer vacancies rose by 900 to 3,500, while user support technician openings rose by 500 to 2,400.

Trades, transport and equipment operation accounted for 98,600 vacancies, up 1,500, or 1.5%, over the quarter. Among specific jobs, transport truck driver openings reached 13,800 and material handler vacancies reached 9,200.

Year over year, healthcare vacancies fell by 5,500, or 7.9%. Education, law and social, community and government services declined by 6,500, or 13.3%. Manufacturing and utilities occupations, meanwhile, gained 3,200 vacancies, or 19.2%.

Education Requirements and Wages Diverge

Compared with a year earlier, openings requiring a high school diploma or less rose by 7,000. Vacancies calling for a trade certificate or diploma increased by 2,700, while those requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher fell by 5,100.

The average hourly wage offered for vacant jobs reached $28.55, up 2% from a year earlier. That growth was slower than the 3.6% increase in average hourly wages for employees.

Where Demand Changed

Newfoundland and Labrador added 700 vacancies during the quarter, while Toronto’s economic region recorded an increase of 3,600. Annual gains also appeared in New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories.

The survey offers a picture of hiring demand, not a guarantee of employment or immigration eligibility. Applicants considering a Canadian immigration program must still check its individual occupation, experience, language and other requirements. Many openings in a field do not mean employers are hiring equally across provinces or that a worker automatically qualifies for immigration.