Regina, August 8, 2019 鈥撎�Canada鈥檚 private sector job vacancy rate maintained its record high of听3.2 per cent听for the fourth quarter in a row, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)鈥檚 latest Help Wanted report. In total, 429,000 private sector jobs鈥�23,000 more than in the second quarter of 2018鈥攚ent unfilled for at least four months in the second quarter of 2019.听In Saskatchewan, the private sector job vacancy rate decreased slightly to听2.1 per cent,听representing 7,400 unfilled jobs.听鈥淛ob vacancy rates advanced in five provinces and remained stable or declined slightly in the other five last quarter, although Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario continue to drive the trend. We鈥檙e also seeing a strong pressure to increase wages in those firms that had vacant positions,鈥� said Ted Mallett, CFIB鈥檚 Vice-President and Chief Economist. 鈥淲hile this rate of job vacancies can be a sign of a growing economy, we don鈥檛 want labour shortages to become an obstacle to business success. CFIB is asking all parties to commit to measures tackling the labour shortage in the upcoming federal election.鈥�听Employers with at least one vacancy expected to push average organization-wide wage levels up by 2.3 per cent compared to the 1.5 per cent gain planned by businesses without any job openings. Firms with fewer than five employees were the hardest hit, reaching a job vacancy rate of 5.4 per cent.听Job vacancies by province听Quebec听and听British Columbia听were tied for the tightest labour markets, with听3.9听per cent听vacancy rates.听翱苍迟补谤颈辞鈥檚听vacancy rate dropped but remained above the national average at听3.2 per cent.听New Brunswick (3.1 per cent), Manitoba (2.6 per cent),听Prince Edward Island (2.2 per cent)听and听Newfoundland & Labrador (2.0 per cent)听saw their vacancy rates rise, but remained below the national average.听Nova Scotia鈥檚听vacancy rate remained stable at听2.3听per cent, while rates in听Saskatchewan (2.1 per cent)听and听Alberta听(1.9 per cent)听dropped.听
