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November 27, 2025JOB VACANCIES, SEPTEMBER 2025 Monthly (September 2025 vs August 2025, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia had 14,480 job vacancies in September 2025 with a vacancy rate of 3.1%, unchanged from the previous month.
Canadian employers were actively recruiting for 486,025 positions in September with the national job vacancy rate of 2.7%, up from 2.6% in August. All provinces except Nova Scotia reported higher job vacancy rates in September. The lowest vacancy rates were in Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario.
When compared to August 2025, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia was down 0.1%- the only province to report a decline. National job vacancies rose 5.5% (+25,495 vacant positions). Job vacancies rose in all provinces except Nova Scotia, with Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island reporting the fastest growth in job vacancies.
Year-over-year (September 2025 vs September 2024)
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate was unchanged compared to September 2024. Nationally, the job vacancy rate declined 0.3 percentage points compared to September 2024. All provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick reported lower job vacancy rates compared to one year ago. Saskatchewan reported the largest percentage point reduction in the job vacancy rate.
When compared to September 2024, the number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia grew 2.8% or by 390 vacancies. National job vacancies declined 9.3% or by 49,745 vacant positions. Seven provinces reported declines in the number of vacancies over the twelve-month period ending in September, led by Alberta. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the fastest increase in job vacancies compared to September 2024.
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 vacancy rate has been above the national average for the most recent six months and has remained relatively stable.
Nova Scotia's job vacancies peaked at 22,775 in July 2022 and have been trending down. Job vacancies declined at a slower pace from the end of 2023 through 2024. Job vacancies have risen since April and stabilized in recent months.
Canada job vacancy rate and job vacancies by industry, September 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 education, utilities, and mining/oil/gas. Finance/insurance and real estate/leasing were the only sectors to report a higher job vacancy rate compared to one year ago, while all other reporting industries reported lower or stable job vacancy rates compared to one year ago at the national level.
Health care and social assistance had the highest number of vacancies at 98,435 in September 2025 and experienced the most significant decline in the number of vacancies.
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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