Canada among worst countries for unfilled jobs

Low wages combined with a skills shortage means Canada is among the worst countries when it comes to the unfilled job ranking.

Low wages combined with a country-wide skills shortage means Canada has one of the worst rates of unfilled jobs, according to a recent study.

The New Global Labor Report, commissioned by job site Indeed, revealed that almost 20 per cent of jobs in Canada remain open after 60 days – the worrying statistic puts the country in third worst position, behind Germany and the U.S.

“The mismatch between employers and job seekers is weighing on productivity, partially explaining a missing spark from the global recovery thus far,” said Indeed’s chief economist Tara Sinclair, author of the report titled Labor Market Outlook 2016: Uncovering the Causes of Global Jobs Mismatch.

“There is still time for these markets to hire workers and boost growth, but it will take increased wages along with skilled workers taking in-demand roles, two areas that have underperformed throughout the recovery,” she added.

According to the report, the types of jobs that are being left open for long stretches of time vary from cashier to aerospace engineer.

“While it’s important to have strong employer demand for roles, it should be matched with productivity and wage growth,” Sinclair said. “Job openings in themselves are a good sign for the economy, but if they’re not filled it is a missed opportunity for employers, job seekers, and the economy.”

According to the report, jobs in I.T as well as highly skilled healthcare positions are being left empty due to a lack of interested applicants with the suitable skill sets.

Even though these jobs pay higher salaries, too few job seekers have the right training, education or experience to deem them appropriate.

In contrast, jobs that do not require advanced degrees are going unfilled in large part due to low wages that aren’t tempting people into the workforce.

“Since there is less interest in these jobs in developed economies, it’s up to employers to entice workers with higher wages or more flexibility, and many just haven’t been willing to do that as the economic recovery has struggled to get back to boom times,” Sinclair added.

Percent of jobs open on Indeed after 60 days by country

1. United States - 25.84%
2. Germany - 20.00%
3. Canada - 18.70%
4. France - 16.07%
5. United Kingdom - 13.09%
6. Australia - 11.66%
7. Japan - 11.12%
8. India - 10.22%
9. Italy - 9.28%
10. Brazil - 7.2%
11. Russia - 1.84%
12. China - 1.42%

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