Private sector job vacancies in Canada

Q3 2026 Update

• Job vacancy decreased slightly to 2.6%

• Vacancy rates eased in most provinces

• This translates into 375,000 vacant positions across Canada. 

Job vacancy rates drop slightly 

The private sector job vacancy rate in Canada decreased slightly to 2.6% in 2026 Q3. Vacancy rates decreased a little across most provinces and sectors compared to the previous quarter. Year-over-year changes were generally modest, with most provinces, sectors and business size categories recording variations of less than one percentage point.

Vacancy rates continue to ease in most provinces

Prince Edward Island (-1.2), Saskatchewan (-0.5), and Manitoba (-0.4) experienced the largest year-over-year decreases in vacancy rates. Alberta (+0.1) and British Columbia (0.0) were the only province recording an increase or no changes.

Health and education posts the largest decline in vacancy rates 

On a yearly basis, health and education (-0.8) other services (-0.5), and construction businesses (-0.5) recorded the largest declines in vacancy rates. Information, arts and recreation (+0.8), professional services (+0.1), accommodation and food services (+0.1), agriculture (+0.1), transportation and warehousing (+0.1), and enterprise management (+0.1) were the only sectors posting yearly increases in vacancy rates.

Smaller businesses lead the drop in vacancy rates

On a yearly basis, businesses with fewer than 20 employees recorded the largest declines in vacancy rates, while vacancy rates increased slightly among mid-sized businesses with 50 to 99 employees.