Colin R. Singer

Immigration; Ontario; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job description

Canada Jobs Increase In Construction And Tech, Unemployment Rises

Are you a candidate with skills and qualifications in one of Canada’s 82 jobs for occupation-specific ExpressEntry draws? We want to help you move to Canada. Please submit your CV here.

Canada’s construction, information, culture, and recreation sectors experienced employment gains in October, offset by losses in wholesale, retail trade, and manufacturing. The unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points to 5.7%, according to Statistics Canada.

This marks the fourth monthly increase in unemployment in the past six months.

In construction, employment increased by 23,000 jobs, up 1.5% in October, more than offsetting a decline of 18,000 jobs, or 1.1%, in September,” notes Statistics Canada.

Employment in information, culture, and recreation rose by 21,000, up 2.5% in October, partly offsetting decreases in September and July, with losses of 12,000 and 16,000 jobs respectively.

Year-over-year, employment in this industry, which includes telecommunications carriers, broadcasting providers, and amusement and recreation, increased by 7.8%, or 61,000 jobs, in October, outpacing growth across all industries.”

In the wholesale and retail sector, employment declined by 22,000 or 0.7% in October, the first decrease since the same month last year.

Despite the slight rise in unemployment, the number of employed people increased by 18,000 jobs or 0.1% in October.

However, the employment rate, which measures the proportion of the working-age population that is employed, decreased as Canada added 85,000 people aged 15 and older to the population.

The most notable employment improvement was among men aged 55 and older, with 31,000 new jobs in October—the first increase for this group since April.

Women aged 25 to 54 also saw employment growth, with 28,000 more landing full-time jobs, many transitioning from part-time work. Conversely, there was a decrease of 24,000 part-time jobs among women in this age group.

Younger workers experienced mixed results : teenaged boys and young men gained 14,000 jobs, mostly part-time, while teenaged girls and young women lost 19,000 jobs, primarily in full-time roles.

Provincial Employment Changes in October

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick saw employment gains, while Quebec experienced job losses, with little change elsewhere.

Employment increased by 38,000, or 1.5%, in Alberta, offsetting September’s decline,” reports Statistics Canada. The unemployment rate remained stable at 5.8%. Over the past year, employment in Alberta grew by 92,000, or 3.8%, driven by sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and natural resources.

Saskatchewan added 9,100 jobs, up 1.5%, with its unemployment rate dropping to 4.4%. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick also saw gains, with 8,200 and 2,400 jobs added respectively.

Quebec’s employment decreased by 22,000, or 0.5%, after a previous increase in September.

Ontario’s employment remained stable for the fourth month, with an employment rate of 61.4%, slightly down from previous months.

Financial Challenges for Canadian Workers

Although inflation is decreasing, many Canadians report struggles with the rising costs of essentials, according to Statistics Canada.

In September, shelter costs increased by 6%, and food prices rose by 5.9%, outpacing wage growth of 5%.

One in three Canadians aged 15 and older found it difficult or very difficult to meet their financial needs, including housing, food, clothing, and transportation.

Nearly half of those in employed, lone-parent families reported financial difficulties, rising to nearly 70% among unemployed lone-parent families.

Immigrants, especially recent arrivals within the past 10 years, were more likely to face financial challenges, with 44.7% reporting difficulties compared to 30.8% of native-born Canadians. Racialized groups such as South Asians and Black Canadians also experienced higher financial hardship.

Immigration Programs to Fill Job Vacancies

The Global Talent Stream (GTS), part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), can process work permits within two weeks under normal conditions.

Employers can also utilize Canada’s ExpressEntry system to bring in foreign workers to fill available positions.

Colin R. Singer, a licensed immigration lawyer with over 30 years of experience, provides guidance on these processes.