Is your job in demand in MB?
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Historically, Manitoba has the most stable labour market in Canada with modest changes in annual growth. The province’s unemployment rate is generally one of the lowest among provinces (at 5.4% in 2017 with an expected continued decrease as labour demand grows slightly faster than the supply from 2017 onward). Based on the Labour Market Outlook for 2017-2023, the economy will see a total of 166,500 job openings in this period. Of the total, 32 percent will come from expansion demand (new jobs due to economic growth) and the rest (68%) from replacement demand (job openings due to retirements and deaths).
Minimum wage
Manitoba’s minimum wage rose to $15.30 on October 1, 2023. It is projected that the labour market will lift hourly labour income by an average of 2.0 percent annually over the next seven years. This is expected to push up personal incomes in Manitoba by an average of 3.2 percent annually over the same period.
Educational attainment
Based on the projected 166,500 job openings, 62 percent requires some post-secondary education and training (for example, university or college degree, or a trade certification). Meanwhile, 38 percent may not need post-secondary training or education but will require occupation-specific or on-the-job training.
In-demand jobs
The expected job openings in the seven-year period translates to about 23,800 job openings a year. The following are the occupation groups that are projected to have the highest job openings in this period:
Sales and service
The greatest demand will be for sales and service workers at 32,000 job openings or 19.2 per cent of the total Manitoba job openings outlook. The highest number of job openings will be for:
- cleaners
- retail salespersons
- food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related occupations
Business, finance and administration
It is expected that there will be 27,400 job openings in this group or 16.5 per cent of the total job openings outlook. The highest number of job openings will be for:
- administrative and regulatory occupations
- general office workers
- office administrative assistants – general, legal and medical
Education, law and social, community and government services
This group has a projected 23,800 job openings or 14.3 per cent of the total. The highest number of job openings will be for:
- secondary and elementary school teachers and educational counselors
- paraprofessional occupations in legal, social, community and education services
- home care providers and educational support occupations
Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations
This occupation group has a forecasted 21,100 job openings or 12.7 percent of the total. Some job openings include transport truck drivers; carpenters; automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics; material handlers, and welders (occupational demand may differ in Manitoba regions and communities).
Health occupations
This occupation group has a projected 18,400 job openings or 11 percent of the total. Some mentioned jobs are registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates, licensed practical nurses, specialist physicians, and pharmacists.
The occupation group with the lowest projected job openings is natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations with 1,600 over the forecast period.
Sources: Labour Market forecasts 2017-2023, Manitoba Government; Manitoba occupational forecasts, Manitoba.gov.; and Labour market bulletin, Job bank.ca; Retrieved October 16, 2018.