In-demand Jobs in Canada in a Post-COVID World
The Impact of COVID-19
COVID-19 has profoundly impacted the Canadian economy. With over a million cases of COVID-19 recorded in Canada and amidst the dangerous third wave, the Canadian economy continues to suffer as the pandemic rages on. I know that sounds bleak but really when you think of any crisis, there is always risk and opportunity. As you may know from the Chinese characters that represent Crisis and I think we can all agree that COVID was and is a global crisis.
So now that’s out of the way, let's break it all down and focus on where the opportunities are for IN demand jobs in a post Covid World in Canada.
Statistics Canada’s report from May 4, 2021 shows that the Canadian economy’s total economic activity in January 2021 was still 3% less than February in the previous year. Every industry and sector has been impacted by the deadly pandemic resulting in slow growth and recovery of the Canadian economy. Both rural and urban Canadian businesses noted the cost of inputs, supply chain concerns, change in consumer demands, and being able to recruit skilled workers as their biggest concerns during the pandemic.
Furthermore, Statistics Canada reports that around one-fifth of urban and rural businesses expect further layoffs. Around 7.4% of rural businesses and 6.1% of urban Canadian businesses plan to sell or close their businesses soon as the third wave of the pandemic continues to loom. The pandemic has shifted consumer behaviour as the majority of the shoppers turn to online clothing/grocery shopping and as more Canadians are working from home than ever before. The rise in online shopping and working from home has given a sharp rise to jobs in telecommunications and tech jobs in the urban areas of Canada. Rural areas of Canada however do not have to infrastructure to keep up with the demand of online business as only 6.3% of rural businesses made around 30% of their sales online in 2020.
With more and more people working from home and businesses shifting to online retail, there is high demand for tech jobs in Canada. As we go through the third wave of the pandemic, it is apparent that nurses and other healthcare workers are extremely essential and highly in demand. During the pandemic, Canada strongly seeks skilled workers to fulfill the demand of healthcare workers, logistics, and technicians amongst other professions. To be able to apply for these job positions from abroad, you must find your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.
For immigration purposes, these are divided into five different skill levels. Skill Type 0 are management jobs such as restaurant managers, mine managers, amongst others. Skill level A are professional jobs that require you to have a degree from a university. These professions include doctors, dentists, architects, amongst others. Skill level B jobs are technical jobs and skilled trades which usually require a college diploma such as chefs, nurses, plumbers, electricians. Skill level C jobs usually require you to have a high school degree or very job-specific training such as industrial butchers or long-haul truck drivers. Finally, skill level D labour jobs usually give on-the-job training. These professions include fruit pickers and cleaning staff amongst others.
In-Demand Canadian Jobs
This blog will focus on the top 10+1 in-demand jobs in Canada in a post-COVID world. This is based on Canadian labour shortages and what the economy needs to thrive after the hard-hit of COVID-19. The next section of the blog will break down 10 jobs and their impact on Canada’s economy and the job market.
Healthcare Workers
Canada urgently needs healthcare workers to fight the current waves of COVID-19 and it is quite apparent that healthcare will not be taken for granted ever again. The Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, has not made it a secret that we faced shortages of healthcare workers in Ontario. As Ontario is the largest province in Canada by population, the province has the highest cases of COVID-19 in the country and has sought out help from other provinces for volunteer healthcare workers who might be able to help slow the spread of the virus and administer COVID-19 vaccines. Amongst healthcare workers, doctors and nurses are particularly in demand, as they can help take care of patients as well as administer vaccines to stop the spread of the virus and prevent the provinces from further shutdown.
In fact, the Conference Board of Canada projected the demand for nurses will increase from 64,000 jobs to over 142,000 jobs by 2035. This is primarily due to the fact of the aging population in Canada and the demand for care workers, but more so now because of the effects of COVID-19. Nurses and doctors typically fall under skill levels A and B under the NOC as they are highly skilled individuals. The NOC for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses is 3012 and the skill level is A, which means that they are usually required to have a university education. Alternatively, for example, the NOC code for licensed practical nurses is 3233 and the skill level is B, meaning that they are required to have a college diploma for additional training. Nurses are significantly in demand in Canada and especially in Ontario as the third wave of the pandemic infects more Ontarians. Doctors are always in demand as it is a highly skilled profession that helps save lives. The NOC code for general practitioners and family physicians is 3112 and the skill level is A. General practitioners and family physicians are required to have university education for their skills. Nurses and general practitioners are urgently needed in Canada and specifically Ontario to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to help with the vaccine campaign by the Government of Canada.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists are also in demand in Canada as they work in hospitals and drugstores. They oversee filling and giving prescriptions to customers in need. Pharmacists are extremely in demand as pharmacies are the main way many Canadians get their prescription drugs. With many pharmacies around Canada authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccines, pharmacies have become a popular avenue for Canadians to get their COVID-19 vaccines. The NOC code for pharmacists is 3131 and the skill level is A, which again, requires them to have a university education. This year, Pharmacists are frontline vaccine administrators all over Canada as vaccine plans are rolled out in all the provinces, therefore, pharmacists are in demand all over Canada.
Web Developers
With an ever-increasing number of Canadians working from home, it is no wonder that web developers are in demand for businesses. The majority of businesses since the beginning of the pandemic have shifted their businesses and operations online because of nationwide shutdowns. It has been said that businesses are starting to recognize that they do not need to close their business, but rather shift them online as more and more people rely on online shopping for groceries, retail, and other essential items. Web developers are hired by businesses to create an online platform for them to expand in the virtual retail market and continue to operate even if indoor shopping is severely limited. The NOC code for a web developer is 2175 and the skill level is A, meaning that web developers must have a university education.
Software Engineers
With many businesses turning to work from home option, software engineers are required to build mobile and web applications to assist people working from home and businesses to make online delivery much more consumer friendly. Software engineers help businesses move their footprint in the virtual space to assist their employees working from home. As more and more people have started working from home, software engineers will be in demand throughout Canada to make moving into virtual space easier for businesses and their employees. Many employees will most likely continue working from home for a few years thus creating more demand for software engineers. The NOC code for software engineers is 2173 and the skill level is A, requiring them to have a university education. Software Engineers are always in demand, even pre-COVID but that race for more countries to find skilled IT talent makes the right individuals highly desirable and employable with some very special options for Immigration to Canada.
Transport Truck Drivers
This might be shocking to many, but Canada is experiencing a shortage of transport truck drivers. To deal with the logistics of providing food, vaccines, and other essential items that Canadians need during the pandemic. Truck drivers are essential to provide our stores with groceries, our pharmacies with drugs, and our hospitals with vital equipment that are needed to save lives. Transport truck drivers are in shortage in Canada as many Canadians do not see it as a career aspiration. The NOC code for transport truck drivers is 7511 and they are skill level C. This means that transport truck drivers usually need a high school education and job-specific training. Normally this C level job would not qualify for immigration but there are specific programs that are aimed at long haul truck drivers which allow people working in this profession to immigrate to Canada. If you have experience and are able to drive in snow, then you will surely be someone that employers would like to speak with.
Delivery and Courier Service Drivers
Delivery and courier service drivers are extremely in demand due to the rise in the expansion of the online retail experience. Due to the pandemic, Canadians have turned to online shopping for groceries, retail, drugs, and other household items. Delivery drivers are also very important as many Canadians also get their food delivered to them from restaurants. Restaurants closed due to lockdowns have also turned to food delivery apps to continue to operate their restaurants and continue serving their customers to some extent. The NOC code for delivery and courier services drivers is 7514 and it is a skill level C, requiring high school education or job-specific training. Unfortunately, there are not many immigration pathways here for this job segment, but this may change as the immigration system tends to adapt to make allowances for workers who are in need.
Electrical and Electronics Engineer
With more people and businesses turning to virtual spaces for shopping and work, our electrical systems in our homes and officers must be maintained. Many Canadians spend their time in their homes now which leads to the usage of electricity and many different appliances. It is important that our electrical infrastructure is kept in place and maintained as Canadians significantly rely on it to get daily tasks done. The need for electrical engineers is apparent as we put continuous stress on our electrical infrastructure daily. The NOC code for electrical and electronics engineers is 2133 and requires skill level A along with university education.
Construction Trades
Construction workers are always essential to keep our infrastructure maintained. We rely heavily on our roads, bridges, transit, hospitals amongst others during our daily lives, and the infrastructure must be maintained and built to keep with the demand. With the rise in demand for housing, it is important that we build more houses and infrastructure that come along with housing to supplement the growth. Construction helpers and labourers also maintain our homes and make sure that infrastructure around us does not crumble during this time of need. The NOC code for construction trades helpers and labourers is 7611 and it is skill level D, requiring on-the-job training. While there are some programs that come up from time to time for trades people, if you are skilled tradesperson such as an electrician, plumber or carpenter then you surely have programs that are aimed directly at you for immigration purposes.
Financial Advisor
Financial advisors are extremely needed especially during the pandemic as many Canadians across the country have either lost their jobs or have reduced work hours. Financial advisors help families and individuals to manage their money better. The need for financial advisors has increased as more Canadians need help managing their financial situations. The NOC code for a financial advisor is 1114 and it is a skill level A requiring university education. This is so pronounced that there are provinces that are specifically inviting people in this category under their Provincial Nominee Programs.
Human Resources and Recruitment Officers
With businesses slowly starting to grow, businesses will need people to fill vacant positions. Human resources and recruitment officers are always in demand to fulfill the demand of hiring employees for vacant positions. With global economies slowly opening up, human recourses and recruitment officers will be required to meet the demand of businesses to fulfill vacant positions effectively. The NOC code for human resources and recruitment officers is 1223 and the skill level is B requiring college education and training.
Hospitality
While the pandemic lockdown caused many restaurants to close indoor dining and food services to be restricted temporarily, the demand for help has risen considerably now that businesses are open again. While businesses received government assistance and subsidies, many workers in the hospitality field left for other industries, causing a high demand for those who choose to return. Recent labour news and statistics in Ontario finds fewer workers in the food service sector than before the pandemic. Moreover, there is a perpetual need and heavy demand for service-related jobs. People want to go back to normal life and are willing to compensate for the increased costs of food and dining. Back of the house workers such as Cooks are NOC 6322 and front of the house workers such as food service supervisors which are NOC 6311, both of which are skill level B jobs, requiring some training and post-secondary education.
Final Thoughts
There are so many jobs in Canada that have increased in demand over the past few years, and more notably, recently because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog has gone over 10 +1 of the most in-demand jobs in Canada and we hope you learned more about these jobs and the Canadian labour market. Whether you have experience in one of these industries or if you’re just starting out, there are opportunities. If you have experience in these jobs or if you are looking to go back to school and train here in Canada so that you can not only immigrate here but also have great job prospects then by all means do your research about in-demand jobs, as this is a great place to start when wanting to apply for work in Canada.
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