Canada Sees First Rise in Job Vacancies Since January 2024
On This Page You Will Find
- September 2025 job vacancy highlights
- Key sectors driving the increase
- How unemployment compares to labour demand
- Provincial changes in vacancies
- Frequently asked questions
Job Vacancies Rise for the First Time Since January
Canada’s job market saw a shift in September 2025 as job vacancies rose to 486,000, an increase of 25,500 or 5.5% from August. This marks the first monthly increase since January 2024, signalling a modest rebound in labour demand after months of decline.
Despite the gain, vacancies remained lower than a year earlier. Compared with September 2024, job vacancies were down 49,700, or 9.3%, reflecting ongoing cooling in several sectors.
The national job vacancy rate reached 2.7%, up slightly from 2.6% in August but down from 3.0% a year earlier.
Unemployment-to-Vacancy Ratio Improves Slightly
The number of unemployed people changed little from August to September, while job openings rose. This pushed the unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio down from 3.5 to 3.3.
This is the first monthly improvement since December 2024. However, the ratio remains higher than one year earlier, showing that labour market slack is still greater than in 2024.
Vacancies Increase Across Four Key Sectors
Four sectors recorded notable vacancy increases in September:
- Construction (+5,100; +14.9%)
- Manufacturing (+3,400; +10.8%)
- Information and cultural industries (+1,500; +24.8%)
- Management of companies and enterprises (+600; +42.1%)
In construction, the rise offset two months of declines. Vacancies in the sector were essentially unchanged from one year earlier, and the job vacancy rate held steady at 3.2%, matching September 2024.
Manufacturing saw its first increase since November 2024, partially reversing a significant drop recorded from December 2024 to August 2025. The vacancy rate rose to 2.2%, up from 2.0% in August.
Year-over-Year Declines Led by Health Care
Over the past year, vacancies fell in 9 of 20 sectors, led by:
The health sector alone accounted for one-third of Canada’s overall year-over-year decline in job vacancies. This highlights ongoing pressures in hospitals, long-term care, and community services, even as total employment in these areas remains high.
Vacancies in the remaining 11 sectors were little changed.
Vacancy Trends Across Provinces
Only two provinces saw increases in September:
Across Western Canada, vacancy rates fell year over year:
These declines suggest weaker hiring demand compared with 2024, particularly in sectors tied to goods production and transportation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did job vacancies rise in September 2025?
Vacancies increased mainly because several sectors, including construction and manufacturing, saw higher hiring demand after months of declines. The rise also reflects seasonal activity and slight shifts in economic conditions. However, vacancies remain lower than a year earlier, showing broader labour market cooling.
What does the unemployment-to-vacancy ratio mean?
This ratio compares the number of unemployed people with the number of job openings. A lower ratio means there are fewer unemployed people competing for each job. In September, the ratio declined to 3.3, suggesting a small improvement in labour market tightness.
Which sectors contributed most to long-term vacancy declines?
Health care and social assistance made the largest contribution to year-over-year declines, accounting for more than 32% of the total drop. Transportation, warehousing and other services also saw significant reductions in vacancies.
How did provinces differ in their vacancy trends?
Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador were the only provinces to see monthly increases. Western provinces experienced year-over-year declines, indicating weaker hiring conditions in sectors like transportation, construction and goods production.
Does this increase signal a stronger job market?
The monthly increase suggests some recovery in labour demand, but the overall trend remains weaker than in 2024. The rise in vacancies is modest, and the unemployment-to-vacancy ratio is still higher than a year earlier, indicating more slack in the labour market.
