Most In-Demand Jobs in Canada

The job market in Canada is always evolving and the list of the most in-demand jobs is constantly changing. Because Canada has an ageing population, there are and will be workforce shortages in various fields. In this article, we look at the jobs most in demand in Canada at the time of writing. 

If you are just starting your career or looking for a change, consider learning one of the valuable skills you’ll need for one of these most in-demand jobs in Canada for 2024 and beyond.

Most In-Demand Jobs in Canada

Registered Nurse

In many provinces across Canada, there is a high demand for jobs in the healthcare sector, especially for registered nurses. Because there is such a shortage of registered nurses, there are several immigration options for candidates from overseas who have nursing experience.

The average annual salary of registered nurses is $73,185 per year. New nurses entering the workforce can be expected to earn around $59,702 per year, while experienced nurses can earn up to $83,310 per year on average. Salaries for registered nurses tend to be higher in the territories than in the provinces.

Their Role

A registered nurse is responsible for patient care plans. They coordinate and provide treatments for patients and monitor how patients are recovering. Registered nurses will administer medication and check vitals. They may also be asked to educate patients on a range of health conditions and support.

Software Engineer

Since the beginning of 2020, there has been an increased need for software engineers. The demand has only skyrocketed from there, with great job prospects in almost every province in Canada. What’s interesting is that the number of job seekers looking for a role in this industry has dropped, meaning software engineers’ salaries are currently at an all-time high of $92,478 per year.

With the technology boom in Canada and over 12 unicorn startups that have grown in the last year alone, there has been an increased demand for experienced software engineers. Every year, these professionals are expected to have job growth of at least 12%, and 27,500 new job openings are expected from 2019 until 2028.

Their Role

Software engineers design, test, and create computer programs and systems to solve real-world problems. Their duties include planning how the pieces of an application will work together, creating the interface and database that users will interact with, and ensuring that the software functions normally through maintenance and testing.

Cybersecurity Analyst

Cybersecurity has become a concern for many remote working teams, as there has been a large number of cyberattacks since the beginning of the pandemic. As people are working from home, they are increasingly becoming targeted by hackers. Companies need to keep an eye on this to prevent possible attacks, thus, the major demand for cybersecurity analysts.

According to Deloitte, Canadian companies will be hiring around 8,000 cybersecurity analysts by the end of 2022. The number of jobs for cybersecurity professionals is growing by 7% each year, and their average annual salary is $142,502 in 2023.

Their Role

Cybersecurity analysts are in charge of protecting a company’s networks and servers from cyber attacks. They plan, implement, and execute security procedures to ensure the organization’s digital assets are protected. It is an extremely technical role where you must have skills such as computer programming, knowledge of IT fundamentals, and experience in operating systems.

Electrical Engineer

Electrical engineers can typically earn $91,832 per year in Canada. The highest-paying electrical engineering jobs are in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. There are different fields electrical engineers can specialise in, including, avionics engineering, electrical design engineering, and electrical network engineering.

It is expected that there will be around 12,600 new jobs opening in Canada between 2022 and 2031 due to expansion and replacement.

Their Role

Electrical engineers are required to perform a range of duties from designing electrical circuits to preparing timing and material cost estimates. They may also conduct micro or nanodevice simulations, supervise and inspect electrical installations and testing, and develop maintenance and operating standards for electronic systems.

Administrative Assistant

As many companies are now moving away from the office and working from home, the demand for administrative assistants has grown. For many organizations, assistants are needed to help support the transition from working in the office full-time to the team working remotely. The average hourly rate for administrative assistants is $23.19 per hour.

Sectors such as customer service, digital marketing, and human resources are much busier now than before; thus, companies in these industries need more administrative assistants. There are currently over 5,000 open administrative assistant roles across Canada, with an expected total of 41,700 openings from 2019-2028. The balance between job seekers and job openings is relatively consistent and is expected to continue over the coming years.

Their Role

Administrative assistants perform a variety of administrative tasks for individual clients or organizations. They provide support for colleagues in various areas, including preparing documents, arranging files, booking appointments and meetings, and answering phone calls. Some administrative assistants are also known as virtual assistants. They typically work from home and can be freelance, taking on a few clients at a time.

Welder

It is expected that there will be 23,000 more welding jobs in Canada by 2023, which makes this profession one of the most in-demand jobs in Canada. In particular, there is a lot of demand for welders in Prince Edward Island and British Columbia. However, welding jobs can be found across the country.

On average, a welder can expect to earn between $18 and 41 per hour. The highest-paying welding roles are found in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.

Their Role

Welders, or brazers, work with metal. They assemble pieces of metal and repair damaged metal components. The tools used by welders emit high heat, which melts the metal into the desired shape. Welders are required to, for example, review blueprints, cut metal into required shapes, and smooth molten metal.

Customer Service Representative

With the rise of online shopping, customer service representatives are in high demand in many sectors, from finance to tech to retail. Companies have received a record number of calls from customers in 2020 and early 2021, asking about their COVID protocol, cancelling plans, or simply needing a refund. Many of these calls have died down by now, but customer service reps are still very much in high demand.

For customer service representatives working in financial institutions, 11,300 new jobs are expected to be available in Canada from 2019-2028, with just as many job seekers available to fill those positions. Although this role isn’t the most highly paid at an average of $18.24/hr in 2023, there are opportunities for advancement.

Their Role

Customer service representatives play a crucial role in the customer’s overall experience with a brand or organization. They answer inquiries, provide information about the goods sold by an establishment, and provide customer services like receiving payments and processing service requests. Customer service reps may work from home if they are working for an online company or remote call center.

Conclusion

Based on the creation of new jobs and people leaving the workforce for retirement or other reasons, the jobs in the above list are expected to be most in demand. However, there are various job openings across Canada in a range of fields for those with almost any skill. It should also be noted that the most in-demand jobs will vary across the provinces and territories depending on what the main industries in the region are. Therefore, it is recommended that anyone planning a career change or moving to Canada to work, should check the demand in the specific region you wish to work in.