A recent report by ADP reveals Canadian employment has increased by 351,300 jobs from March to April 2021, a continuation of an upward trend of remarkably high employment rates in Canada. While during the height of the pandemic, employment rates were at a critical low, numbers have since spiked and plateaued as April records the third month straight of gains.
While almost every sector has increased employment number, those that saw the largest growth were leisure and hospitality, trades, transportation and utilities, and education and healthcare.
Meanwhile, rural Canadian communities are continuing to face labour shortages, which have been exacerbated by the travel restrictions implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program, designed to increase employment in these populations, has been slowed by the restrictions, making it difficult to bring in newcomers to fill employment gaps.
A recent investment in promoting the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot by raising the awareness of the program to employers in Northern Ontario shown to pique interest in employers ranging from mining companies to nursing nurse to tourism operators. As the vaccination rolls out and restrictions begin to lift, employers are hopeful that it will become easier to bring foreign workers to Canada.
Lauren Boorman
Rebecca Major