Looking for work in Canada, 2017

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Release date: May 11, 2018
Infographic: Looking for work in Canada, 2017
Description: Looking for work in Canada, 2017

Who is looking for work, and how long do they search?

Young men were the group most likely to be unemployed.

Unemployment rate, by sex and age group, 2017
 Age group Unemployment rate (%)
Men Women
15 to 24 13.3 9.9
25 to 54 5.6 5.2
55 and older 6.1 5.1

Youth spent less time in unemployment.

Average duration of unemployment at the time of the survey

Average duration of unemployment, by sex and age group, 2017
Age group Weeks
Men Women
15 to 24 11.5 10.3
25 to 54 22.1 18.3
55 and older 28.7 30.3

Which sectors have the most job vacancies?

Job vacancies reflect the demand for workers and the degree of job turnover in each sector.

Job vacancies by sector, 2017
Rank Industry Average number of vacancies per quarter
1 Accommodation and food services 61,000
2 Retail trade 58,000
3 Health care and social assistance 45,000

How are jobs advertised?

Recruitment strategies used by employers, 2017
Recruitment strategy Jobs to fill (%)
Online job boards 71
Personal contacts, referrals, informal networks 63
Company websites 58
Social media 43
Government employment centres or websites 25
Storefront "Help Wanted" signs 22
School job fairs 21
Professional networking, headhunters, employment agencies 18
Newspaper advertisements 16

Sources: Labour Force Survey, CANSIM tables 282-0002 and 282-0048;
Job Vacancy and Wage Survey, CANSIM tables 285-0002 and 285-0004 (calculated using the average of the four quarters).

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