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June 26, 2025JOB VACANCIES, APRIL 2025 Monthly (April 2025 vs March 2025, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia had 13,075 job vacancies in April 2025 with a vacancy rate of 2.8%, the same rate as in March. Canadian employers were actively recruiting for 501,340 positions in April with the national job vacancy rate slipping to 2.8% (down from 2.9% in March). Six provinces reported lower job vacancy rates compared to the previous month (with Nova Scotia unchanged). The highest vacancy rates were reported in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, while the lowest vacancy rate was reported in Newfoundland and Labrador.
When compared to March 2025, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia rose 2.8% (+350 vacant positions) in April. National job vacancies fell 3.2% (-16,810 vacant positions). Job vacancies declined in six provinces with the steepest decline in Newfoundland and Labrador. Manitoba and Saskatchewan reported the largest increases in vacancies compared to March.
Year-over-year (April 2025 vs April 2024)
When compared to April 2025, the job vacancy rate in Nova Scotia declined 0.3 percentage points. Nationally, the job vacancy rate declined from 3.3% to 2.8%. All provinces reported lower job vacancy rates compared to one year ago. British Columbia and New Brunswick reported the largest percentage point reductions in vacancy rates while Manitoba reported the least decline in vacancy rates compared to April 2024.
When compared to April 2024, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia declined 10.0% or by 1,460 vacancies. National job vacancies declined 15.4% or by 91,385 vacant positions. All provinces reported declines in the number of vacancies over the twelve-month period ending in April. In percentage terms, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia reported the steepest declines in job vacancies compared to April 2024. Manitoba reported the smallest decline.
Trend
Nationally, job vacancy rates have trended downward after peaking in April-May 2022.
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate peaked in the spring of 2022 and has also been on a downward trend.
Nova Scotia's job vacancies peaked at 22,715 in June 2022 and have been trending down. Job vacancies have declined at a slower pace since the end of 2023.
Canada job vacancy rate and job vacancies by industry, April 2025
Nationally, accommodation/food services, health care/social assistance and personal/repair services had the highest job vacancy rates. The lowest vacancy rates were in utilities, company management and education. Finance/insurance and real estate/leasing reported the only increases in vacancy rates over a year ago. All other industries reported lower vacancy rates compared to one year ago.
Health care and social assistance had the highest number of vacancies at 104,390 in April 2025. Compared to April 2024, the number of vacancies declined in most industries, with the exception of finance/insurance and real estate/leasing reporting increases.
Notes: The job vacancy rate is the percentage of job positions (both filled and vacant) that are vacant. A higher job vacancy rate indicates a tighter labour market where it is more difficult for employers to find suitable candidates for the positions offered. A lower job vacancy rate signals labour market slack and potentially more job seekers competing for each vacant position.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, data collection was suspended from April to October 2020. There remains a break in this data series.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0432-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, and job vacancy rate by provinces and territories, monthly, adjusted for seasonality, Table 14-10-0406-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, and job vacancy rate by industry sector, monthly, adjusted for seasonality
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