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September 21, 2021JOB VACANCIES AND WAGES, Q2 2021 Statistics Canada has released its quarterly job vacancy and wage survey (unadjusted for seasonality) for the second quarter of 2021. 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 3.8% in the second quarter of 2021, representing 15,355 job vacancies (these data are unadjusted for seasonality and will show more slack in the winter months). Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate is higher than the 3.2% vacancy rate (13,100 vacancies) observed during the second quarter of 2019.
The national job vacancy rate was 4.6%, up from 3.5% in the second quarter of 2019.
Across Canada, Q2 2021 job vacancy rates were highest in British Columbia and Quebec. The lowest job vacancy rates were reported in Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan. Compared to Q2 2019, vacancy rates increased for all provinces.
The average wage offered for a vacant position in Q2 2021 was $19.65 per hour in Nova Scotia, up from $18.00 in Q2 2019. The national average wage offered increased to $22.85 per hour.
Compared with Q2 2019, the average wage offered increased 7.3% nationally. Average wages on vacant positions were highest in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta, and lowest in the Maritime provinces. Average wages offered on vacant positions increased in all provinces except Alberta.
Among Nova Scotia's economic regions, Q2 2021 job vacancy rates were highest in Southern Nova Scotia and lowest in Halifax. All regions had higher job vacancy rates compared to the same quarter in 2019.
Compared with Q2 2019, average wages on vacant positions increased in all regions except Southern where they declined.
Across sectors with available data, Nova Scotia's Q2 2021 job vacancy rates were lower than the national average in every category except transportation, real estate and rentals, and arts, entertainment and recreation. 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 except professional and technical services. The largest wage differences were found in administrative/waste management, construction, education, wholesale trade and other services.
Across sectors with available data, Nova Scotia's job vacancy rates increased the most over compared to Q2 2019 in arts, entertainment and recreation, accommodation and food services, and construction. Vacancy rates declined in wholesale trade, administrative, waste management and health care and social assistance.
For sectors with available data, Nova Scotia's average hourly wages on vacant positions were highest in professional/technical services and information and cultural services. The fastest wage gains (Q2 2021 vs Q2 2019) were in arts, entertainment and recreation, professional/technical services, and public administration. Average wages offered in education and other services declined over this period.
Of the 15,355 job vacancies reported in Nova Scotia during Q2 2021, the largest number (5,105) were in sales and service occupations. Sales/service vacancies increased 6.5% compared to the same quarter of 2019. Most occupation categories saw double-digit increases in the number of vacancies compared to two years ago except health occupatIons. Among occupations with data, vacancies were up the most in trades, transport and equipment operators, and business, finance and administration.
Average wages offered on vacant positions in Nova Scotia during Q2 2021 were highest for natural/applied sciences and health occupations. Sales and service, natural resources and agriculture, and art, culture, recreation and sport occupations had the lowest wages offered on vacant positions in Q2 2021.
In Q2 2021, 63.9% of vacant positions in Nova Scotia required high school for lower levels of education, up slightly rom 62.1% of vacancies in Q2 2019. Vacancies increased the most for positions requiring no minimum level of education.
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 2019) were for positions requiring a high school education. Wages offered are up compared to the previous year for all education levels except for those requiring post-graduate degrees.
The number of vacant positions requiring one to three years of experience increased 31.3% (+1,045) compared to Q2 2019. The average wage offered on vacant positions increased for all required experience levels. The largest percentage gain occurred in jobs requiring 8 or more years of experience (+46.5%).
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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