35 Million People and You Can’t Hire 1 Person?

“East Block, Parliament Hill” by Brian Gratwicke is licensed under CC by 2.0

Canada has 35 million people, yet we have 375,000 job vacancies. Why is it so hard for companies to hire people? The first reason is: relocation. Canadians don’t want to move despite great TV ads from Tourism Nova Scotia and Tourism BC, and of course well-written job ads from Recruiters! The second reason is that unemployment for Canadians with a Trade Certificate, College or University Degree is very low and most are not looking for work.
To be fair, there are people underemployed in Canada and some willing to move, but the numbers are so few and far between it is scary. From March 2016 to March 2017 only 313,188 Canadians moved between provinces. That’s less than 1% of people!
This number has been pretty consistent with only a few extra thousand more people moving to Alberta when oil prices are up and now 10,000 in this last year leaving when prices are down. BC has seen a bigger jump with 18,468 Albertans and other Canadians moving into the province.
Additionally, many management roles are being left vacant for 6 months or more in Western Canada due to the employment rate of those with education. Those with a Trade or College Diploma are 10% more likely to be employed than those with a high school diploma. Meanwhile, people with a University degree are twice as likely than those without a High School Diploma to have a job in Canada. We see similar trends in the US with the unemployment rate for those with a Trade, College or University degree currently sitting at 3% or below.
So what are Canadian employers going to have to do to not only fill vacancies, but grow?
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170310/dq170310a-eng.htm
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor62-eng.htm
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11f0019m/11f0019m2016376-eng.htm
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170413/t001b-eng.htm

Kael Campbell is President and Lead Recruiter of Red Seal Recruiting Solutions, a company providing recruitment services in mining, equipment and plant maintenance, utilities, manufacturing, construction, and transportation. When he is not recruiting, Kael spends as much time as possible with family in the great outdoors and on the water. He volunteers his time as a Board Member of the Entrepreneurs Organization of Victoria and a Member of Victoria Marine Search and Rescue.
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