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Media Contacts

Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training

Media Relations
250 833-0969

Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation

Media Relations
778 587-3237

Backgrounders

Plan for the future with the new B.C. Labour Market Outlook

How is the Labour Market Outlook (LMO) produced?

  • The LMO uses the most current data from various sources, including BC Stats, the B.C. Ministry of Finance, Statistics Canada and other federal departments.
  • An economic modelling system analyzes the data collected and other factors affecting labour market supply and demand. Data is reviewed based on industry, occupation, geographic region and skills.
  • The LMO produces a list of high-opportunity occupations by assigning indicators for expected job opportunities, expected labour market tightness, current labour market tightness and wage rate.
  • These indicators are assigned a weight based on their effect on labour-market conditions.
  • Projections are tested with employers, unions, industry groups and post-secondary institutions.

Which industries will have the most job openings?

  • There will be job openings across various industries throughout the province. The 10 industry groups with the most job openings over the next decade, ranked in order of most to least, are as follows:
    • health care and social assistance
    • professional, scientific and technical services
    • retail trade
    • construction
    • accommodation and food services
    • transportation and warehousing
    • educational services
    • information, culture and recreation
    • finance, insurance and real estate
    • manufacturing

Which regions of B.C. will have the most jobs?

  • Thousands of jobs are expected in every region of B.C. The regions with the largest number of job openings are the Mainland/Southwest (65%) and Vancouver Island/Coast (16%).
  • The job openings are distributed between regions as follows:
    • Mainland/Southwest: 653,200 job openings
    • Vancouver Island/Coast: 161,500 job openings
    • Thompson-Okanagan: 115,600 job openings
    • Kootenay: 25,400 job openings
    • Cariboo: 20,400 job openings
    • North Coast and Nechako: 15,200 job openings
    • Northeast: 12,300 job openings

What occupations will have high opportunities?

  • The LMO produces a list of high-opportunity occupations, broken down by education and training requirements.
  • These occupations are considered the best job opportunities for British Columbians within the next decade.
  • The top three occupations by job openings in each category are:
    • degree:
      • registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
      • information systems analysts and consultants
      • computer programmers and interactive media developers
    • diploma/certificate, excluding apprenticeship:
      • retail and wholesale trade managers
      • administrative officers
      • nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
    • apprenticeship certificate:
      • automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
      • contractors and supervisors, heavy-equipment operator crews
      • aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors
    • high school and/or occupation-specific training:
      • retail sales supervisors
      • restaurant and food service managers
      • longshore workers