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September 20, 2022JOB VACANCIES AND WAGES, Q2 2022 Statistics Canada has released its quarterly job vacancy and wage survey (unadjusted for seasonality) for the second quarter of 2022. 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.
This release provides data on the portion of jobs in a particular region, sector or occupation that are vacant. It also provides information on the wages offered on vacant positions as well as education and experience requirements. 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.
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate was 5.4% in the second quarter of 2022, representing 23,360 job vacancies. Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate is higher than the 3.8% vacancy rate (15,355 vacancies) observed during the second quarter of 2021.
The national job vacancy rate was 5.9%, up from 4.6% in the second quarter of 2021.
Across Canada, Q2 2022 job vacancy rates were highest in British Columbia, Quebec and Prince Edward Island. The lowest job vacancy rate was reported in Newfoundland and Labrador. Compared to Q2 2021, vacancy rates increased for all provinces.
The average wage offered for a vacant position in Q2 2022 was $20.50 per hour in Nova Scotia, up from $19.65 in Q2 2021. The national average wage increased to $24.05 per hour, up from $22.85 in Q2 2021.
Compared with Q2 2021, the average wage offered increased 5.3% nationally. Average wages on vacant positions were highest in Ontario and British Columbia, and lowest in the Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Average wages offered on vacant positions increased in all provinces.
Among Nova Scotia's economic regions, Q2 2022 job vacancy rates were highest in the Sourthern Nova Scotia and North Shore. All regions had higher job vacancy rates compared to the same quarter in 2021. Job vacancy data for Q2 2022 was not available for Cape Breton.
Compared with Q2 2021, average wages on vacant positions increased in all regions.
Across sectors with available data, Nova Scotia's Q2 2022 job vacancy rates were lower than the national average in every category except construction, information and cultural, arts, entertaintment and recreation and other services sectors. Suppressed data are labelled as 'n/a'.
Compared to the national average, the wages offered for vacant positions in Nova Scotia were lower for all sectors in Q2 2022. The largest wage differences were found in construction, wholesale trade, finance and insurance, professional, scientific and technical services, administrative and support, waste management and remediation, and other services.
Across sectors with available data, Nova Scotia's job vacancy rates increased the most compared to Q2 2021 in accommodation and food services, other services, construction and administrative and support, waste management and remediation.
For sectors with available data, Nova Scotia's average hourly wages on vacant positions were highest in professional and technical services. The fastest wage gains (Q2 2022 vs Q2 2021) were in management of companies, transportation, wholesale trade and administrative and waste management.
Average wages on vacant positions in real estate and rentals, professional and technical services and health care declined over this period.
Of the 23,360 job vacancies reported in Nova Scotia during Q2 2022, the largest number (8,305) were in sales and service occupations. Sales/service vacancies increased 62.7% compared to the same quarter of 2021. Among occupations with data, vacancies were up the most in natural and applied sciences.
Average wages offered on vacant positions in Nova Scotia during Q2 2022 were highest for natural/applied sciences and health occupations. Occupations in sales and service and art, culture, recreation and sport had the lowest wages offered on vacant positions in Q2 2022.
In Q2 2022, 64.6% of vacant positions in Nova Scotia required high school or lower levels of education, up from 63.9% of vacancies in Q2 2021. In percentage terms, vacancies increased the most for positions that require non-university certificate or diploma.
Wages offered for vacant positions requiring high school or lower education were on average less than wages offered on vacancies requiring more education. The fastest growth in wages offered (compared to Q2 2021) were for positions requiring a post-graduate university degree. Wages offered were up compared to the same quarter in 2021 for all education levels.
The number of vacant positions requiring less than one year of experience increased 61.0% (+5,290) compared to Q2 2021. The average wage offered on vacant positions increased for all categories.
JVWS data are not seasonally adjusted. Therefore, quarter-to-quarter comparisons should be interpreted with caution as they may reflect seasonal movements.
Source: Statistics Canada.
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