The number of job vacancies nationwide reached more than one million in March

According to the federal agency, employers were looking to fill more than a million positions in early March, up 186,000 positions, or 22.6%, from February, and 382,000 positions, or 60.5%, compared to March 2021.

The unsuitable job vacancy rate, which measures the number of job vacancies as a proportion of all jobs, was 5.9% in March, matching the record in September 2021.

The number of job vacancies rose by more than a third in residential and food services and in the retail trade, as it reached a record level in health care and social assistance, as well as in building.

Employers in the residential and food service sector are looking to fill 158,000 positions, with a vacancy rate of 12.8%, the highest in any sector for the 11th consecutive month.

There are 109,000 jobs available in retail, including 154,000 in health care and 82,000 in construction.

The number of job vacancies increased in all provinces, but the largest increases were seen in Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Prior to March, the number of vacancies dropped for five consecutive months due to seasonal trends. Increased economic activity usually results in increased demand for labor.

The unemployment rate at a record low of 5.3% and a record participation rate of 88.6% means there was an average of 1.2 unemployed for every job vacancy in March, down from 1, 4 in February and 2.6 in March 2021.

The ratios are lowest in Quebec and British Columbia and highest in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Meanwhile, average weekly income has risen 0.9% since February, and 4.3% year-on-year, double the increase seen last month. The consumer price index rose 6.7% in March, compared to March 2021.

Statistics Canada also said the number of people working in retail exceeded its pre -pandemic level for the first time in March.