Last Updated On 4 June 2026, 5:06 PM EDT (Toronto Time)
Canada’s average weekly earnings reached $1,333.23 in 2026, but the latest Statistics Canada data shows the job market is cooling beneath the headline number.
That headline number paints a picture of steady wage growth across the country. However, the broader data tell a more complicated story about where Canada’s labour market stands right now.
Payroll employment fell by 31,800 positions in March alone, bringing the combined February and March decline to nearly 70,000 payroll jobs.
Job vacancies held flat around 500,300, and there were still 3.0 unemployed persons competing for every open position across the country.
Several worker-heavy sectors, including accommodation and food services, construction, and retail trade, recorded notable payroll employment losses during the month.
For workers, newcomers, international students, and anyone actively searching for employment in Canada, this release carries important signals about where opportunities exist and where the market has tightened.
Table of Contents
Average Weekly Earnings by Province and Territory in 2026
The following table ranks all Canadian provinces and territories by their average weekly earnings in March 2026, along with the year-over-year percentage change for each jurisdiction.
| Province / Territory | Weekly Earnings | YoY Change |
| Nunavut | $1,874.95 | 7.8% |
| Northwest Territories | $1,741.07 | 3.3% |
| Yukon | $1,520.39 | 2.3% |
| Alberta | $1,371.07 | 1.9% |
| Ontario | $1,368.71 | 3.5% |
| British Columbia | $1,348.36 | 3.5% |
| Canada (National Average) | $1,333.23 | 3.5% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $1,290.53 | 1.2% |
| Saskatchewan | $1,288.82 | 3.1% |
| Quebec | $1,283.60 | 3.1% |
| New Brunswick | $1,231.77 | 6.7% |
| Manitoba | $1,214.49 | 5.3% |
| Nova Scotia | $1,210.83 | 5.8% |
| Prince Edward Island | $1,177.97 | 7.7% |
Nunavut recorded the highest average weekly earnings in Canada at $1,874.95, followed by the Northwest Territories at $1,741.07 and Yukon at $1,520.39.
The three northern territories consistently lead the country in average earnings because of their concentration of government sector employment, resource industry positions, and northern isolation allowances that push compensation higher.
Among the provinces, Alberta led with average weekly earnings of $1,371.07, edging out Ontario at $1,368.71 and British Columbia at $1,348.36.
Alberta’s position reflects its energy sector wages, while Ontario and British Columbia benefit from concentrations of financial services, technology, and professional services employment.
Prince Edward Island recorded the lowest average weekly earnings at $1,177.97, followed by Nova Scotia at $1,210.83 and Manitoba at $1,214.49.
Despite having the lowest absolute earnings, Prince Edward Island posted the strongest year-over-year wage growth among all provinces at 7.7%, followed by New Brunswick at 6.7% and Nova Scotia at 5.8%.
These faster growth rates in Atlantic Canada suggest that wage pressures are building in regions that traditionally lagged the national average, potentially narrowing the earnings gap over time.
Payroll Employment Continues to Decline
Payroll employment in Canada edged down by 31,800 positions in March 2026, representing a 0.2% monthly decline.
This followed an even larger drop in February, bringing the cumulative payroll employment decline since February to 69,900 positions or 0.4% of total payroll jobs.
On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment was up only marginally by 23,700 positions, a gain of just 0.1% compared to March 2025.
That annual growth rate is among the weakest in recent months and signals that employer hiring activity has slowed considerably.
The decline in March was broad-based, with more sectors recording losses than gains during the month.
Only public administration and management of companies and enterprises posted increases, while multiple large employment sectors recorded net declines.
Industries With the Biggest Payroll Job Losses in 2026
Five major sectors led the payroll employment decline in March 2026, according to the Statistics Canada Daily release.
| Industry Sector | Job Change | % Change |
| Accommodation and Food Services | -7,000 | -0.5% |
| Construction | -4,100 | -0.3% |
| Retail Trade | -3,600 | -0.2% |
| Other Services (Except Public Administration) | -2,500 | -0.4% |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | -1,900 | -0.7% |
Accommodation and food services recorded the largest decline at 7,000 payroll jobs, extending a second consecutive month of losses in the sector.
The cumulative loss in accommodation and food services since February reached 9,700 positions, driven by declines in full-service restaurants, limited-service eating places, special food services, and traveller accommodation.
Construction lost 4,100 payroll jobs in March after shedding a similar 4,200 positions in February, reversing gains of 19,600 jobs the sector had accumulated between June 2025 and January 2026.
Retail trade continued its prolonged downward trend with a loss of 3,600 positions, bringing the total decline since the sector’s peak in June 2023 to 69,700 payroll jobs or 3.4%.
Year over year, retail trade payroll employment was down by 20,300 positions, led by losses in clothing retailers, department stores, and furniture and home furnishings retailers.
Real estate and rental and leasing shed 1,900 positions, with year-over-year declines concentrated in activities related to real estate and offices of real estate agents and brokers.
On the positive side, public administration added 4,300 payroll jobs for a third consecutive monthly increase, led by gains in local, municipal, and regional public administration.
However, federal government public administration declined by 2,500 positions over the three-month period from January to March 2026, consistent with the current federal workforce reduction initiatives.
Anyone exploring government roles should check the top employers in Canada for 2026 for a province-by-province breakdown of the largest public and private sector employers.
Job Vacancies and Unemployed Persons Per Vacancy
Job vacancies in Canada held steady around 500,300 in March 2026, unchanged from February on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Year over year, vacant positions fell by 16,500 or 3.2%, although this decline was notably smaller than the sharp 81,900 drop recorded between March 2024 and March 2025.
The year-over-year decrease in March 2026 was the smallest since September 2019, suggesting that the pace of vacancy contraction is stabilizing.
The national job vacancy rate stood at 2.8% in March, unchanged from February and down only 0.1 percentage points from March 2025.
There were 3.0 unemployed persons for every job vacancy in March 2026, down from 3.1 in February but unchanged compared to a year earlier.
This ratio means that, on average, three unemployed persons are competing for each available job opening, which remains significantly elevated compared to the period before the labour market tightened during the post-pandemic recovery.
Saskatchewan was the only province or territory to record a month-to-month increase in job vacancies in March, marking its first vacancy gain since May 2024.
The highest job vacancy rates were in Yukon at 4.8% and Prince Edward Island at 3.5%, while the lowest rates were in Newfoundland and Labrador at 2.3% and Ontario at 2.5%.
Year-over-year vacancy increases in manufacturing and wholesale trade were offset by declining vacancies in health care and social assistance, construction, and professional, scientific, and technical services.
Higher Average Earnings Do Not Mean the Job Market Is Strong for Everyone
A common misunderstanding is that rising average weekly earnings indicate a broadly healthy job market with expanding opportunities for all workers.
Statistics Canada itself cautions that changes in average weekly earnings can reflect compositional effects, meaning that when lower-paying jobs disappear faster than higher-paying ones, the average shifts upward even without actual wage increases for individual workers.
The loss of 69,900 payroll positions since February concentrated in accommodation, food services, retail, and construction, illustrates this point clearly.
Many of these lost positions were in sectors that tend to pay below the national average, so their removal from the calculation mechanically raises the average weekly earnings figure.
For someone who just lost a position in one of these sectors, the higher national average provides no practical benefit.
The unemployment to job vacancy ratio of 3.0 means there are three people looking for work for every available opening, which creates a competitive hiring environment where employers can afford to be selective.
Newcomers navigating Canada immigration changes in June 2026 should understand that labour market conditions directly influence their ability to find employment, qualify for permanent residence pathways, and settle successfully.
The federal government has opened immigration-level consultations for 2027 to 2029, and labour market data like this release will heavily influence how many newcomers Canada plans to admit in the coming years.
We introduced Canada’s first-ever Permanent Resident Absorption Index that was specifically designed to measure whether provincial economies can realistically absorb the number of new permanent residents being targeted under current plans.
Workers who have been affected by layoffs or reduced hours should explore whether they qualify for extended EI relief measures that the federal government has extended through October 2026.
The March 2026 payroll data from Statistics Canada confirms that Canada’s labour market is entering a period of uneven performance.
Average weekly earnings are rising, but the gains are concentrated and partly driven by compositional shifts rather than broad-based wage increases across all sectors and skill levels.
Payroll employment is declining in sectors that employ large numbers of Canadians, newcomers, and students, while job vacancies have stabilized at levels well below their post-pandemic peaks.
The next data release covering April 2026 is scheduled for June 25, 2026, and will provide further clarity on whether the recent payroll employment declines represent a temporary adjustment or a sustained trend.
For anyone making career, immigration, or relocation decisions right now, the most practical approach is to target sectors and provinces where both job vacancies and wage growth remain strongest rather than relying on national averages that can mask significant regional and sectoral differences.
Staying informed through official data releases from Job Bank Canada and Statistics Canada remains the best way to make evidence-based decisions about employment and immigration in the current environment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the average weekly salary in Canada in 2026?
As of March 2026, the national average weekly earnings in Canada are $1,333.23, which translates to approximately $69,327.96 per year before taxes and deductions. This figure represents a 3.5% year-over-year increase from March 2025 and includes overtime pay for all employees covered by the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours.
Why are average weekly earnings rising while payroll employment is falling?
Average weekly earnings can rise even when the job market is weakening because the calculation reflects compositional changes. When lower-paying positions in sectors like accommodation, food services, and retail are eliminated at a faster rate than higher-paying positions, the overall average shifts upward. This does not necessarily mean that individual workers received pay raises.
How many job vacancies are available in Canada right now?
There were around 500,300 job vacancies in Canada as of March 2026. This number was little changed from February but was down 3.2% compared to March 2025. The national job vacancy rate was 2.8%, with the highest rates in Yukon at 4.8% and Prince Edward Island at 3.5%.
Which provinces pay the highest weekly earnings in Canada?
Among the provinces, Alberta pays the highest at $1,371.07 per week, followed by Ontario at $1,368.71 and British Columbia at $1,348.36. Among the territories, Nunavut leads with $1,874.95 per week, followed by the Northwest Territories at $1,741.07 and Yukon at $1,520.39. These differences reflect industry composition, resource sector activity, and regional cost of living adjustments.
What does a 3.0 unemployment to job vacancy ratio mean for job seekers?
A ratio of 3.0 means there are three unemployed persons competing for every available job vacancy in Canada. This ratio indicates a moderately competitive labour market where employers have a larger pool of candidates to choose from. Job seekers need to differentiate themselves through relevant skills, sector-specific experience, and willingness to consider opportunities in regions or industries where vacancies are more plentiful.
Fact-Check: All statistics, earnings figures, payroll employment numbers, and job vacancy data cited in this article are sourced directly from the Statistics Canada release titled “Payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies, March 2026,” published on May 28, 2026 (The Daily, Catalogue number 11-001-X). Provincial and territorial average weekly earnings are from Table 14-10-0223-01.
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, employment counselling, or legal immigration guidance. Readers should consult qualified professionals, including regulated immigration consultants, financial advisors, or employment lawyers, before making decisions based on the data presented here. Immigration News Canada is not affiliated with Statistics Canada or the Government of Canada.
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