Payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies, March 2024
Released: 2024-05-30
$1,235.68
March 2024
4.2% 
(12-month change)
$1,213.87
March 2024
3.8%
(12-month change)
$1,055.24
March 2024
4.2%
(12-month change)
$1,102.67
March 2024
5.5%
(12-month change)
$1,135.61
March 2024
3.9%
(12-month change)
$1,185.90
March 2024
5.1%
(12-month change)
$1,266.68
March 2024
4.1%
(12-month change)
$1,126.35
March 2024
3.3%
(12-month change)
$1,194.10
March 2024
1.1%
(12-month change)
$1,298.87
March 2024
2.2%
(12-month change)
$1,256.92
March 2024
5.4%
(12-month change)
$1,422.32
March 2024
5.9%
(12-month change)
$1,663.63
March 2024
4.5%
(12-month change)
$1,649.76
March 2024
-1.2% 
(12-month change)
The number of employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer—measured as "payroll employment" in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours—increased by 51,400 (+0.3%) in March following an increase of 14,600 (+0.1%) in February. On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment was up by 232,100 (+1.3%) in March.
Meanwhile, job vacancies in Canada decreased by 40,600 (-6.2%) to 610,700 in March, marking the largest decline since September 2023.
Chart 1
Payroll employment increases for the third consecutive month in March
In March 2024, monthly payroll employment increases were recorded in 11 out of 20 sectors, led by health care and social assistance (+11,700; +0.5%), educational services (+8,100; +0.6%), manufacturing (+7,300; +0.5%), construction (+2,600; +0.2%) and wholesale trade (+2,600; +0.3%). Retail trade (-2,400; -0.1%) was the lone sector to record a monthly decline in March. The remaining eight sectors recorded little change.
Chart 2
Payroll employment increases in 11 sectors in March
Payroll employment in health care and social assistance continues to trend upward in March
Payroll employment in health care and social assistance increased by 11,700 (+0.5%) in March, continuing an upward trend since September 2022, with a cumulative gain of 144,300 (+6.5%) over this period.
Monthly gains in March 2024 in the sector were led by general medical and surgical hospitals (+3,300; +0.5%), nursing care facilities (+1,700; +0.7%), individual and family services (+1,500; +0.8%) and home health care services (+1,200; +1.4%).
Payroll employment growth in educational services led by elementary and secondary schools on a year-over-year basis
Payroll employment in educational services increased by 8,100 (+0.6%) in March, following an increase in February (+11,400; +0.8%) and a decrease in January (-3,000; -0.2%).
From March 2023 to March 2024, payroll employment in the sector rose by 31,600 (+2.2%), and this gain was concentrated in elementary and secondary schools (+14,900; +1.8%), community colleges and CEGEPs (+10,900; +8.3%) and universities (+3,000; +0.9%). Taken together, these three groups accounted for 91.6% of payroll employment in educational services in March 2024.
March payroll employment gain in manufacturing more than offsets the loss in February
Payroll employment in manufacturing rose by 7,300 (+0.5%) in March, more than offsetting the loss in February (-1,700; -0.1%). Despite the monthly increase, payroll employment in the sector remained down from its recent peak recorded in June 2023 (-2,500; -0.2%).
In March 2024, increases were recorded in 8 out of 21 subsectors, led by chemical manufacturing (+3,300; +3.5%), food manufacturing (+2,000; +0.8%) and non-metallic mineral product manufacturing (+800; +1.7%). Petroleum and coal product manufacturing was the sole subsector to record a loss (-1,100; -6.8%). The remaining 12 subsectors were little changed.
Payroll employment rises for the second consecutive month in construction
Payroll employment in construction rose by 2,600 (+0.2%) in March, following an increase in February (+6,700; +0.6%) and little change from October 2023 to January 2024. On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in the construction sector was up by 16,100 (+1.4%) in March.
Monthly gains in the sector in March were recorded in non-residential building construction (+1,300; +1.0%), highway, street and bridge construction (+1,100; +1.9%), other specialty trade contractors (+1,100; +0.8%) and utility system construction (+700; +0.9%). These gains were partially offset by declines in residential building construction (-800; -0.5%), foundation, structure and building exterior contractors (-400; -0.3%) and building finishing contractors (-300; -0.3%).
Average weekly earnings little changed in March
Month over month, average weekly earnings were little changed at $1,236 in March. Transportation and warehousing (+1.6% to $1,291) and retail trade (+1.5% to $746) recorded the largest monthly gains in average weekly earnings in March.
On a year-over-year basis, average weekly earnings were up 4.2% in March, following a 4.3% increase in February. In general, growth in average weekly earnings can reflect a range of factors, including changes in wages, composition of employment, hours worked, and base-year effects.
In March, average weekly hours worked were little changed on a monthly basis but were up 0.9% (to 33.5 hours) year over year.
Largest decline in job vacancies since September 2023
In March 2024, job vacancies in Canada decreased by 40,600 (-6.2%) to 610,700, marking the largest month-over-month decline since September 2023. Job vacancies had previously followed a steady downward trend from May 2022 to September 2023. Compared with March 2023, total job vacancies were down by 192,800 (-24.0%) in March 2024.
Total labour demand, which corresponds to the sum of filled and unfilled positions, decreased by 0.3% in March compared with the previous month, and was down 0.4% from a year earlier.
The job vacancy rate—which corresponds to the number of vacant positions as a proportion of total labour demand—decreased 0.2 percentage points month over month to 3.4% in March, and was 1.1 percentage points lower than in March 2023 (4.5%).
Infographic 1
Job vacancy rate at lowest level since March 2020
Unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio highest since May 2021
There were 2.2 unemployed persons for every job vacancy in March 2024, up from 1.9 in February. The increase in the unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio in March was driven by a decrease in job vacancies (-40,600; -6.2%) and an increase in the number of unemployed persons (+59,900; +4.8%). The ratio in March was the highest since May 2021 (2.5). Year over year, the unemployment rate from the Labour Force Survey—a monthly household survey of the working-age population—increased by 1.0 percentage points from March 2023 (5.1%) to March 2024 (6.1%).
Infographic 2
Unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio increases in March 2024 while vacancies decline
In March, job vacancies decreased in construction (-11,000; -19.1%), accommodation and food services (-10,200; -12.9%), retail trade (-8,800; -12.7%), and finance and insurance (-6,300; -23.1%). Meanwhile, information and cultural industries (+2,700; +54.1%), and educational services (+2,700; +12.9%) recorded increases in vacancies. The remaining 14 sectors were little changed.
On a year-over-year basis, vacant positions were down in 14 of 20 sectors, led by accommodation and food services (-39,500; -36.5%), retail trade (-29,900; -33.1%), health care and social assistance (-24,100; -16.6%), and construction (-22,600; -32.6%).
Construction records the lowest number of vacancies since December 2020
The number of job vacancies in construction fell by 11,000 (-19.1%) to 46,700 in March 2024, the lowest level since December 2020 (43,300). Since March 2023, the number of job vacancies in construction has declined by 22,600 (-32.6%). The job vacancy rate in the sector was 3.8% in March 2024, down 0.9 percentage points from February (4.7%) and down 1.8 percentage points from a year earlier (5.6%).
Job vacancies in finance and insurance decrease
In March, job vacancies in finance and insurance decreased by 6,300 (-23.1%), offsetting most of the cumulative increase of 7,600 recorded in January and February. On a year-over-year basis, job vacancies in finance and insurance were down by 4,700 (-18.2%) in March. The job vacancy rate in the sector was 2.4% in March, down 0.6 percentage points from the same month a year earlier (3.0%).
Job vacancies and labour demand decrease in retail trade
The number of vacant positions in retail trade decreased by 8,800 (-12.7%) to 60,200 in March 2024. Compared with March 2023, job vacancies in this sector decreased by 29,900 (-33.1%) in March 2024. Over the 12-month period, total labour demand in retail trade decreased by 2.3%, reflecting both a decrease in payroll employment (-0.9%) and in job vacancies (-33.1%).
The job vacancy rate in retail trade for March 2024 stood at 2.9%, marking a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from February, and a decrease of 1.3 percentage points from a year earlier.
Vacancies remain elevated in health care and social assistance
In March, there were 121,400 job vacancies in health care and social assistance, representing nearly one-fifth (19.9%) of total job vacancies. The number of vacancies in the sector was virtually unchanged from the previous month, but down by 24,100 (-16.6%) on a year-over-year basis.
Year over year, total labour demand in the sector was up 2.4% in March, as payroll employment increased by 3.6% and job vacancies decreased by 16.6%.
Job vacancies decrease in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Newfoundland and Labrador
In March, decreases in job vacancies were recorded in Ontario (-14,700; -6.3%), Quebec (-12,500; -8.4%), British Columbia (-9,300; -8.7%), and Newfoundland and Labrador (-1,000, -16.8%). Meanwhile, job vacancies increased in Prince Edward Island (+600; +28.3%). Vacancies were little changed in the remaining five provinces.
On a year-over-year basis, the job vacancy rate was down in all provinces in March. The provinces with the largest year-over-year declines were Quebec (-1.5 percentage points to 3.4%), British Columbia (-1.3 percentage points to 3.9%), and Prince Edward Island (-1.3 percentage points to 3.9%).
British Columbia (3.9%) and Prince Edward Island (3.9%) had the highest job vacancy rates in March, followed by Saskatchewan (3.7%) and Alberta (3.7%). Meanwhile, Ontario (3.2%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (2.5%) recorded the lowest job vacancy rates in March.
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Sustainable Development Goals
On January 1, 2016, the world officially began implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—the United Nations' transformative plan of action that addresses urgent global challenges over the next 15 years. The plan is based on 17 specific sustainable development goals.
The Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours is an example of how Statistics Canada supports the reporting on the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. This release will be used in helping to measure the following goals:
Note to readers
Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours
The key objective of the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH) is to provide a monthly portrait of the level of earnings, employment and hours worked, by detailed industry, at the national, provincial and territorial levels.
Payroll employment, as measured by the SEPH, refers to the number of employees receiving pay and benefits (employment income) during a given month. The survey excludes the self-employed, owners and partners of unincorporated businesses and professional practices, and employees in the agricultural sector.
SEPH estimates are produced by integrating information from three sources: a census of approximately 1 million payroll deduction records provided by the Canada Revenue Agency; the Business Payrolls Survey, which collects data from a sample of 15,000 establishments; and administrative records of federal, provincial and territorial public administration employment, provided by these levels of government.
Estimates of average weekly earnings and hours worked are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability. This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level. Payroll employment estimates are based on a census of administrative data and are not subject to sampling variability.
With each release of SEPH data, data for the preceding month are revised. Users are encouraged to use the most up-to-date data available for each month.
Statistics Canada also produces employment estimates from its Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS is a monthly household survey, the main objective of which is to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive groups: the employed (including the self-employed), the unemployed and those not in the labour force. This survey is the official source for the unemployment rate, and it collects data on the sociodemographic characteristics of all those in the labour market.
As a result of conceptual and methodological differences, estimates of changes in the SEPH and the LFS differ occasionally. However, the trends in the data are similar. For a more in-depth discussion of the conceptual differences between employment measures from the LFS and the SEPH, refer to Section 8 of the Guide to the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (72-203-G).
Unless otherwise stated, this release presents seasonally adjusted data, which facilitate comparisons because the effects of seasonal variations are removed. For more information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.
Non-farm payroll employment data are for all hourly and salaried employees and for the "other employees" category, which includes piece-rate and commission-only employees.
Unless otherwise specified, average weekly hours data are for hourly and salaried employees only and exclude businesses that could not be classified to a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 2022 version 1.0 code.
All earnings data include overtime and exclude businesses that could not be classified to a NAICS code. Earnings data are based on gross taxable payroll before source deductions. Average weekly earnings are derived by dividing total weekly earnings by the number of employees. Changes in average weekly earnings can reflect a range of factors, including changes in wages, composition of employment, hours worked and base-year effects.
Base-year effect refers to the impact that trends from 12 months earlier (base month) have on the current month's estimate of year-over-year change. In the case of SEPH, when the average weekly earnings in the base month is at the peak of a short-term trend, this tends to have a downward effect on year-over-year average weekly earnings growth in the current month. In contrast, if the value of the base month is at a low point of a trend, this tends to have an upward effect on the current month's year-over-year growth in average weekly earnings.
Job Vacancy and Wage Survey
Job Vacancy and Wage Survey (JVWS) collection is done on a quarterly basis. The quarterly sample of business locations is allocated to the three collection months of the quarter, approximately balanced by province and by industrial sector across each of the three months. This allows both quarterly and monthly estimates to be produced.
Preliminary monthly estimates are produced for job vacancies, job vacancy rates and payroll employment using available responses from business locations sampled in the corresponding reference month. The reference period for the JVWS is the first day of the respective month.
These preliminary monthly estimates are revised and finalized when the corresponding quarterly estimates are released or shortly thereafter. Users are encouraged to use the most up-to-date data available for each month.
Unless otherwise stated, this release presents seasonally adjusted data, which facilitate comparisons because the effects of seasonal variations are removed. For more information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.
While JVWS employment is calibrated to the SEPH, SEPH payroll employment and JVWS preliminary monthly employment figures may differ because of calibration grouping and differences in scope and reference period.
The JVWS also provides comprehensive quarterly data on job vacancies by industrial sector and detailed occupation for Canada and the provinces, territories and economic regions; offered hourly wages; and job vacancy characteristics. More information about the concepts and use of data from the JVWS is available in the Guide to the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey (75-514-G).
Real-time data tables
Tables 14-10-0357-01 and 14-10-0358-01 have now been archived.
Real-time data tables 14-10-0331-01 and 14-10-0332-01 will be updated on June 17.
Next release
Products
More information about the concepts and use of the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours is available in the Guide to the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (72-203-G).
The product "Earnings and payroll employment in brief: Interactive app" (14200001) is now available. This interactive data visualization application provides a comprehensive picture of the Canadian labour market using the most recent data from the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours. The estimates are seasonally adjusted and available by province and largest industrial sector. Historical estimates that go back 10 years are also included. The interactive application allows users to explore and personalize the information presented quickly and easily. Combine multiple provinces and industrial sectors to create your own labour market domains of interest.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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