Canada’s work & study permit holders witness substantial employment gains in January 2023. As the country fills 150,000 jobs (equivalent to 5% of total employment) in various industries.
Due to the robust hiring boom, many categories (particularly those aged 25 to 54) saw a substantial increase in employment, with Non-Permanent Residents (NPRs) those with Study or Work Permits demonstrating particularly strong increases in employment.
National unemployment rates have remained low since December 2022 at 5%. A high employment rate in Canada led to an average unemployment rate of 5.96% for immigrants at the end of 2022.
Approximately 79,000 NPRs filled positions in January. During the academic year through December 31st 2023, overseas students in Canada with a valid study permit are allowed to work an unlimited number of hours. Increasing employment as of November 2023 is expected as a result. According to the most recent census data, NPRs account for the largest share of the Canadian population since records were kept. And they are also among the most active workers.
In which industries were non-permanent residents employed?
Numerous places showed evidence of the growth in NPR employment. The following sectors experienced the largest growth:
- The professional, scientific, and technical services sector has added over 10,349 individuals to its workforce.
- The retail trade sector hired 9,717 people.
- The accommodation and food services industry has recruited an additional 8,848 employees to its workforce.
- Social assistance and health care and have hired 7742 people so far.
A third of all employment is now made up of this group – a significant figure for the Canadian economy. Despite a modest decline in overall vacancies, according to the most recent job openings report from November. Three of the aforementioned industries (aside from retail trade) continue to have high vacancies.
Industries who experienced significant hiring increases in January, and are employment opportunities still available in these sectors
A number of industries saw strong hiring gains in the first month of 2023, including:
- There are 59,000 positions filled and a combined total of 128,960 job openings available in the wholesale and retail trade industry.
- The health care and social assistance sector has 40,000 positions currently occupied. And is actively seeking to fill a total of 131,775 job openings.
- There were 18,000 educational services jobs filled and 20,180 vacancies that needed to be filled.
- There are 79,025 vacancies in the construction industry, and 16,000 of these positions have been filled.
- The “Other services” industry has 16,000 positions that are currently filled, and there are 34,985 job vacancies available for hiring.
Additionally, the transportation and warehousing sector, which currently needs to fill 46,635 openings, decreased by 17,000 jobs. Since the Bank of Canada raised interest rates in early February, average hourly wage growth in Canada has lagged behind rising inflationary pressures, resulting in fewer purchases for workers.
The vacancy data presented has been sourced from the job vacancy report of November 2022, and has been adjusted for seasonal fluctuations.
A number of the industries mentioned above report urgent and ongoing job openings. As an example, construction was one of the few industries in November that saw vacancies rise. The nation continues to struggle with staff shortages for healthcare as it deals with the ongoing labor shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to government policy adjustments, this situation has become increasingly serious. By simplifying immigration and employment requirements for temporary foreign health care workers. Canada is also making it easier for caregiver pilot program employees to work in Canada. The increase in the labor force in Canada is attributable to immigration to a greater than 100% extent. For construction workers without status, Canada has expanded immigration options to increase the size of its domestic labor force.
The provinces with the highest hiring increases for work & study permit holders
A significant increase in hiring occurred in the following provinces in January:
- Added 63,000 jobs in Ontario.
- A total of 47,000 positions have been filled in Quebec.
- Added 21,000 jobs in Alberta.
- A total of 9,400 jobs have been filled in Nova Scotia.
- Approximately 4,500 positions were filled.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s employment declined by 2,300 positions, but there were more job openings. A Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) accommodates the labor requirements of the provinces through the current main path for economic immigration to Canada.
As the year progresses, each province’s PNP will be shaped by how many jobs it creates, what will be in-demand, and how many people it hires. ITAs under this policy are often targeted at occupations that are in high demand, which is one of the major factors for gaining an ITA.
