Statistics Canada Reports First Quarter 2025 Job Vacancies Down Across Most Sectors and Regions

Job vacancies in Canada declined in the first quarter of 2025 to 524,300 positions, according to data released by Statistics Canada on June 17. This marks a decrease of 20,600 jobs, or 3.8%, from the fourth quarter of 2024. Statistics Canada reported that, year-over-year, vacancies declined by 116,100 positions (18.1%). The number of job vacancies in early 2025 was similar to the average reported from 2017 to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statistics Canada noted that vacancies fell for both full-time and part-time positions in the first quarter of 2025. Full-time positions were down by 14,000 (3.4%), while part-time positions dropped by 6,600 (5.0%). Most of the decrease was in permanent positions, which declined by 18,000 (4.0%). Temporary positions saw little change. Despite fewer vacant positions, total labour demand (the sum of filled and vacant positions) increased by 42,200 (0.2%) due to more payroll employment.

The job vacancy rate—which Statistics Canada defines as the number of vacant positions as a share of total labour demand—declined by 0.1 percentage points to 2.9% in the first quarter of 2025. Compared to the same period last year, the rate was down by 0.7 percentage points. Statistics Canada reported the unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio rose to 2.9 in the first quarter, up from 2.8 in the previous quarter and 2.0 a year earlier. This change was the result of an increase in unemployed persons (up 200,900 or 15.6%) as measured by the Labour Force Survey. The number of job vacancies was also down by 18.1%, excluding the territories.

Statistics Canada stated that six broad occupational groups saw declines in job vacancies in the first quarter: health occupations (down 5,400 vacancies or 6.7%), sales and service occupations (down 4,600 or 3.0%), business, finance and administration occupations (down 3,400 or 4.7%), trades, transport and equipment operators (down 3,300 or 3.2%), natural and applied sciences (down 1,600 or 3.9%), and art, culture, recreation and sport (down 900 or 8.2%). Vacancies in the remaining four broad occupational groups were little changed. Year-over-year, the number of job vacancies declined in all ten broad occupational groups, with the largest drops in sales and service (down 36,300 or 19.6%), trades and transport (down 27,200 or 21.8%), and health (down 17,500 or 18.9%).

In health occupations, there were 75,100 vacancies in the first quarter of 2025, which is 5,400 fewer than in the previous quarter and 17,600 fewer than the first quarter of 2024. The largest decreases occurred among registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (down 7,700 to 21,000), nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (down 4,900 to 16,100), and licensed practical nurses (down 2,700 to 10,000). These roles made up 63% of health occupation vacancies. Sales and service job vacancies dropped to their lowest level since late 2016, with the biggest declines among retail salespersons and visual merchandisers (down 3,900 to 12,100), food counter attendants and kitchen helpers (down 3,800 to 22,900), and customer service representatives (down 3,600 to 5,900). In trades, transport and equipment operators, job vacancies declined by 3,300 (3.2%) compared to the previous quarter and by 27,000 (23.7%) from the previous year, including reductions for construction trade helpers and labourers (down 4,400 to 8,500) and truck drivers (down 3,700 to 11,800).

For wage offers, Statistics Canada reported the average hourly wage for vacant positions grew 6.1% year-over-year to $28.90 in the first quarter of 2025. The largest annual increases were recorded in legislative and senior management (up 13.7% to $88.15 per hour), natural resources and agriculture (up 9.7% to $24.35), and manufacturing and utilities (up 8.6% to $26.55). Statistics Canada said growth in average wages for vacant roles was partly due to a shift towards occupations with higher typical wages.

Jobs requiring a high school diploma or less saw the largest decline, falling by 66,800 vacancies (22.3%) over the year and making up about 60% of the total decrease. Statistics Canada said the job vacancy rate fell for all education levels. The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio for high school diploma or less increased from 2.0 to 2.9. For those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, the unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio rose to 5.1, up from 3.7 a year earlier. The average offered hourly wage for vacant positions requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher was $43.35, compared to $22.10 for positions needing a high school diploma or less.

On a provincial level, job vacancies decreased in Quebec (down 9,500 to 120,400), British Columbia (down 6,600 to 85,100), Alberta (down 4,300 to 61,700), Manitoba (down 1,200 to 19,800), New Brunswick (down 700 to 8,900), and the Northwest Territories (down 300 to 800). Statistics Canada said there was little variation in the other provinces and territories. Regionally, 50 out of 69 economic areas reported lower job vacancy rates than a year earlier, with the largest decreases in the Northwest Territories, Swift Current–Moose Jaw, and Yukon. Three regions reported an increase: Laval, Côte-Nord and Nord-du-Québec, and Northwest Ontario.