Occupational Outlook 2024-2026, Nova Scotia

Each Year, Service Canada Forecasts Nova Scotia's Job Market: Updated Outlook for 2024-2026

Service Canada has released its latest three-year occupational employment prospects for Nova Scotia, providing insight into job growth, attrition, and employment opportunities across the province. The 2024-2026 analysis is based on macroeconomic, demographic, and industry trends, as well as occupation-specific factors influencing labour demand. This report outlines the key highlights, including opportunities in the IT sector, healthcare, and education, along with regional and skill-level breakdowns. For more information on the methodology and detailed results, visit www.jobbank.gc.ca.

Key Highlights

62,250 Job Opportunities Forecasted

Nova Scotia is expected to generate 62,250 job opportunities during the 2024-2026 period, with half of these resulting from economic growth and the other half from attrition due to retirements. This marks a significant increase compared to the previous forecast, reflecting stronger economic activity.

Regional Dynamics

Opportunities will be split nearly evenly between Halifax and the rest of Nova Scotia. However, Halifax will see higher job growth rates, while attrition will dominate outside the city due to an aging workforce. Job seekers in rural areas are likely to find openings in healthcare and transport, whereas Halifax offers a broader mix, including IT and education.

Opportunities by Occupation Skill-Level Category

• Management Occupations (TEER 0): Management roles are projected to grow slightly above average. While this group has the highest rate of attrition due to its older workforce, the total number of opportunities remains relatively small due to the limited size of this category.
• Professional Occupations (TEER 1): Representing roles that typically require a university education, this category is projected to have the highest annual growth rate (2.7%), driven by strong demand in the IT sector and among registered nurses.
• Technical/Paraprofessional Occupations (TEER 2): This group, requiring college-level education or apprenticeship training, accounts for over one-third of the workforce. Opportunities will align with this proportion, with significant demand in retail supervision, early childhood education, and trades.
• Intermediate Occupations (TEER 3): These roles, requiring high school or specific on-the-job training, will generate just over one-quarter of job opportunities. Most openings will result from attrition, with slower overall growth.
• Labouring Occupations (TEER 4 & 5): These positions, often requiring no formal education, are projected to have the lowest growth and attrition rates. Opportunities in this category are expected to slow following the pandemic recovery period.

IT Sector: A Star Performer

The IT sector continues to shine, with information systems specialists, software engineers, software developers, and computer network technicians leading growth. Information systems specialists are projected to grow at a remarkable annual rate of 7.3%, generating over 900 new opportunities by 2026. The sector’s expansion is concentrated in Halifax, driven by digital transformation across industries. IT roles are categorized under TEER 1 due to their high educational requirements and represent one of the fastest-growing areas in the province.

Employment Prospect Analysis

• Good or Very Good Prospects: 146 occupations, accounting for over 60% of provincial employment, have been rated as having Good or Very Good employment prospects. This includes IT roles such as software engineers, information systems analysts, and computer programmers.
• Moderate Prospects: 32.6% of occupations fall into this category, offering average opportunities.
• Limited or Very Limited Prospects: Just 1.8% of occupations are rated Limited or Very Limited, reflecting sectors with slower growth or workforce reductions, such as agriculture and natural resources.
• Regional Variations: Halifax is home to a higher concentration of high-growth roles, including IT and education. In contrast, rural areas see more opportunities in healthcare and transport-related occupations.

Conclusion

With over 62,000 job opportunities projected, Nova Scotia’s employment landscape is vibrant, particularly in IT, healthcare, and education. The province’s focus on technology and healthcare positions it as an attractive destination for skilled professionals seeking opportunities in high-demand fields. For job seekers, the next three years promise a wealth of prospects, especially in sectors reshaping Nova Scotia’s economy.