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September 15, 2026JOB VACANCIES AND WAGES, Q2 2026 Quarter-over-quarter (Q2 2026 vs Q1 2026)
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate (seasonally adjusted) decreased 0.1 percentage point to 3.1% in Q2 2026, representing 13,890 job vacancies.
Nationally, the job vacancy rate was 2.8%, unchanged from Q1 2026. The highest job vacancy rates were reported in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. The lowest job vacancy rate was in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In Nova Scotia, Annapolis Valley reported the highest job vacancy rate at 3.8% while Southern Nova Scotia reported the lowest at 2.7%. All regions except Annapolis Valley reported lower job vacancy rates compared to the previous quarter.
The number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia fell 4.3% from Q1 2026 to Q2 2026. Nationally, job vacancies rose 0.5%, with six provinces reporting growth led by Newfoundland and Labrador. Prince Edward Island reported the steepest decline in job vacancies.
In Nova Scotia, job vacancies were down in all regions except Annapolis Valley in Q2 2026.
Year-over-year (Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025)
Compared with Q2 2025, Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate was down by 0.1 percentage point. Nationally, the job vacancy rate was unchanged, with five provinces reporting unchanged job vacancy rates. Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island had the largest increase in the job vacancy rates.
Within Nova Scotia, only the Annapolis Valley region reported a higher job vacancy rate compared to one year ago. Job vacancy rate was unchanged in Halifax.
The number of job vacancies dropped 4.2% in Nova Scotia from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026, the fastest decline among provinces. Nationally, the number of job vacancies rose 0.6% with eight provinces reporting gains, led by Newfoundland and Labrador.
Among Nova Scotia's economic regions, job vacancy declines in Cape Breton, North Shore, and Southern Nova Scotia regions were partially offset by increases in Annapolis Valley and Halifax.
The average hourly wage offered on vacant positions (unadjusted for seasonality) was $25.25 in Nova Scotia during Q2 2026, up from $24.55 a year earlier. All provinces, except Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island, reported higher average hourly wages on vacant positions compared with Q2 2025.
Average hourly wages on vacant positions were $28.55 nationally, with the highest values in Ontario and British Columbia. Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia reported the lowest average wages on vacant positions in Q2 2026.
Across Nova Scotia, average hourly wages on vacant positions were up for all regions except Southern Nova Scotia. The highest average hourly wage was offered in Halifax and the lowest was in the Annapolis Valley in Q2.
Average wages on vacant positions grew by 2.9% in Nova Scotia from Q2 2025 to Q2 2026. Nationally, average wages on vacant positions were up 2.0% over this period with gains in all provinces, except Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island. New Brunswick reported the largest increase in average wages on vacant positions.
Cape Breton reported the fastest year-over-year growth in average wages for vacant positions while Southern Nova Scotia region reported the only decline.
In unadjusted job vacancy rates by industry in Nova Scotia, accommodation/food services reported the highest job vacancy rate in Q2 2026. Education reported the lowest job vacancy rate.
Compared with Q2 2025, there was a notable decline in the job vacancy rates for Nova Scotia's personal/repair services and administrative/support/call centres and a notable increase for wholesale trade and arts/entertainment/recreation vacancy rates.
Despite a decline, the number of job vacancies remained highest in health/social/daycare in Nova Scotia in Q2 2026.
Across all industries, job vacancies were down 4.4% in unadjusted results when compared to Q2 2025. Administrative/support/call centres and agriculture/forestry/fishing reported the fastest declines in job vacancies over this period. Wholesale trade reported the largest gain followed by information/culture and arts/entertainment/recreation.
Compared with national averages by industry, Nova Scotia's job vacancy rates were higher for ten of the reporting industries.
In Q2 2026, average hourly wages offered on vacant positions in Nova Scotia were highest for mining/oil/gas, professional/technical services, and utilities. Hourly wages for vacant positions in Nova Scotia were lowest for arts/entertainment/recreation and accommodation/food services.
From Q2 2025 to Q2 2026, average hourly wages offered on vacant positions in Nova Scotia were up for thirteen industries, led by agriculture/forestry/fishing, mining/oil/gas, and professional/technical services. The fastest decline was in information/culture.
Compared with national averages, average hourly wages on vacant Nova Scotia positions were lower for all reporting industries in Q2 2026, except mining/oil/gas, agriculture/forestry/fishing, and professional/technical services.
The majority of job vacancies in Q2 2026 required no more than a high school education and less than one year of experience.
Comparing Q2 2026 to Q2 2025, job vacancies were down most for trade/apprenticeship and vacancies up the most for those requiring a high school education. Among experience requirements, vacancies were up the most for 5-8 years of experience, and down the most for 3-5 years of experience.
Average hourly earnings for vacant positions were on average higher for increased experience and educational requirements.
Over the last year (comparing Q2 2026 against Q2 2025), average hourly wages were up the most for positions requiring more than eight years of experience, as well as for those requiring trade/apprenticeship. Wages were down for vacant positions requiring between 1-3 years of experience. By education requirement, average wages were down for university below and above bachelor.
Trends
Following the pandemic (when job vacancy data were not collected), there was a substantial rise in Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate. The national job vacancy rate also increased over this time. After peaking in early 2022, vacancy rates in both Nova Scotia and across Canada declined steadily. The Canadian rate has remained at 2.8% since the second quarter of 2025. Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate has remained above national average since the first quarter of 2024 and has remained relatively steady around 3.2% though a slight decline in Q2 2026.
The number of job vacancies in Nova Scotia peaked at 22,300 (seasonally adjusted) in Q2 2022. Since then, the number of vacancies has fallen by 8,410 with declines in all economic regions.
Growth in average hourly earnings for vacant positions across Nova Scotia has slowed since 2024.
Notes: Data collection activities were suspended from the start of the pandemic in March to September 2020. There remains a gap in the dataset for this survey.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0398-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, and job vacancy rate, by economic regions, quarterly, adjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0441-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, job vacancy rate, and average offered hourly wage by economic regions, quarterly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0442-01 Job vacancies, payroll employees, job vacancy rate, and average offered hourly wage by industry sub-sector, quarterly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0443-01 Job vacancies, proportion of job vacancies and average offered hourly wage by occupation and selected characteristics, quarterly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0444-01 Job vacancies and average offered hourly wage by occupation (unit group), quarterly, unadjusted for seasonality
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