Occupations in Canada (2016 Census)
Most popular occupation in Canada: Retail salesperson
The most popular occupations in Canada are retail salesperson, motor vehicle and transit driver and cleaner.
Statistics Canada reported that in Canada, two-thirds of vacancies didn’t require more than a high school education in 2015 and 2016.
| Canada: People by Occupation* (2016 Census) | |
| Total | 19,361,010 |
| Occupation | People |
| 642 Retail salespersons | 730,055 |
| 751 Motor vehicle and transit drivers | 586,950 |
| 673 Cleaners | 569,130 |
| 122 Administrative and regulatory occupations | 532,435 |
| 403 Secondary and elementary school teachers and educational counsellors | 494,185 |
| 421 Paraprofessional occupations in legal, social, community and education services | 455,225 |
| 141 General office workers | 448,690 |
| 671 Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 423,950 |
| 062 Retail and wholesale trade managers | 410,885 |
| 111 Auditors, accountants and investment professionals | 399,260 |
| 661 Cashiers | 376,905 |
| 217 Computer and information systems professionals | 376,225 |
| 124 Office administrative assistants – General, legal and medical | 369,395 |
| 441 Home care providers and educational support occupations | 343,530 |
| 341 Assisting occupations in support of health services | 335,770 |
| 651 Occupations in food and beverage service | 324,200 |
| 301 Professional occupations in nursing | 321,510 |
| 655 Customer and information services representatives | 306,040 |
| 632 Chefs and cooks | 304,165 |
| 152 Supply chain logistics, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations | 266,365 |
| 112 Human resources and business service professionals | 263,750 |
| 662 Other sales support and related occupations | 262,800 |
| 961 Labourers in processing, manufacturing and utilities | 261,460 |
| 416 Policy and program researchers, consultants and officers | 251,250 |
| 001 Legislators and senior management | 235,205 |
| 623 Insurance, real estate and financial sales occupations | 234,345 |
| 143 Financial, insurance and related administrative support workers | 232,635 |
| 761 Trades helpers and labourers | 226,230 |
| 131 Finance, insurance and related business administrative occupations | 208,820 |
| 071 Managers in construction and facility operation and maintenance | 204,275 |
| 745 Longshore workers and material handlers | 203,635 |
| 723 Machining, metal forming, shaping and erecting trades | 200,735 |
| 727 Carpenters and cabinetmakers | 196,075 |
| 732 Automotive service technicians | 191,450 |
| 012 Managers in financial and business services | 190,860 |
| 724 Electrical trades and electrical power line and telecommunications workers | 190,245 |
| 011 Administrative services managers | 184,890 |
| 525 Athletes, coaches, referees and related occupations | 181,925 |
| 213 Civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineers | 178,375 |
| 731 Machinery and transportation equipment mechanics (except motor vehicles) | 172,565 |
| 082 Managers in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture | 170,530 |
| 323 Other technical occupations in health care | 167,540 |
| 861 Harvesting, landscaping and natural resources labourers | 165,895 |
| 415 Social and community service professionals | 164,735 |
| 401 University professors and post-secondary assistants | 163,320 |
| 063 Managers in food service and accommodation | 163,275 |
| 431 Occupations in front-line public protection services | 161,400 |
| 321 Medical technologists and technicians (except dental health) | 153,590 |
| 634 Specialized occupations in personal and customer services | 141,920 |
| 311 Physicians, dentists and veterinarians | 137,950 |
| 843 Agriculture and horticulture workers | 134,225 |
| 654 Security guards and related security service occupations | 127,345 |
| 752 Heavy equipment operators | 126,030 |
| 524 Creative designers and craftspersons | 125,405 |
| 228 Technical occupations in computer and information systems | 124,420 |
| 513 Creative and performing artists | 121,460 |
| 622 Technical sales specialists in wholesale trade and retail and wholesale buyers | 118,600 |
| 641 Sales and account representatives – Wholesale trade (non-technical) | 117,210 |
| 952 Mechanical, electrical and electronics assemblers | 116,345 |
| 729 Other construction trades | 115,840 |
| 224 Technical occupations in electronics and electrical engineering | 115,310 |
| 720 Contractors and supervisors, industrial, electrical and construction trades and related workers | 103,705 |
| 402 College and other vocational instructors | 98,945 |
| 411 Judges, lawyers and Quebec notaries | 97,935 |
| 021 Managers in engineering, architecture, science and information systems | 95,205 |
| 121 Administrative services supervisors | 95,145 |
| 151 Mail and message distribution occupations | 94,120 |
| 656 Other occupations in personal service | 94,035 |
| 631 Service supervisors | 92,675 |
| 223 Technical occupations in civil, mechanical and industrial engineering | 88,155 |
| 725 Plumbers, pipefitters and gas fitters | 86,390 |
| 953 Other assembly and related occupations | 85,745 |
| 091 Managers in manufacturing and utilities | 83,775 |
| 652 Occupations in travel and accommodation | 83,400 |
| 042 Managers in education and social and community services | 81,530 |
| 512 Writing, translating and related communications professionals | 80,740 |
| 730 Contractors and supervisors, maintenance trades and heavy equipment and transport operators | 79,220 |
| 744 Other installers, repairers and servicers | 78,755 |
| 522 Photographers, graphic arts technicians and technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts | 78,105 |
| 728 Masonry and plastering trades | 75,180 |
| 214 Other engineers | 72,465 |
| 145 Library, correspondence and other clerks | 72,340 |
| 060 Corporate sales managers | 70,675 |
| 633 Butchers and bakers | 66,915 |
| 621 Retail sales supervisors | 66,750 |
| 226 Other technical inspectors and regulatory officers | 65,740 |
| 946 Machine operators and related workers in food, beverage and associated products processing | 64,560 |
| 225 Technical occupations in architecture, drafting, surveying, geomatics and meteorology | 63,955 |
| 314 Therapy and assessment professionals | 63,405 |
| 941 Machine operators and related workers in mineral and metal products processing and manufacturing | 62,615 |
| 674 Other service support and related occupations, n.e.c. | 54,835 |
| 921 Supervisors, processing and manufacturing occupations | 51,330 |
| 313 Pharmacists, dietitians and nutritionists | 50,745 |
| 222 Technical occupations in life sciences | 49,320 |
| 672 Support occupations in accommodation, travel and amusement services | 46,260 |
| 924 Utilities equipment operators and controllers | 44,380 |
| 753 Other transport equipment operators and related maintenance workers | 43,000 |
| 142 Office equipment operators | 42,895 |
| 215 Architects, urban planners and land surveyors | 41,100 |
| 762 Public works and other labourers, n.e.c. | 40,400 |
| 442 Legal and public protection support occupations | 37,935 |
| 942 Machine operators and related workers in chemical, plastic and rubber processing | 36,955 |
| 943 Machine operators and related workers in pulp and paper production and wood processing and manufacturing | 36,620 |
| 073 Managers in transportation | 36,340 |
| 322 Technical occupations in dental health care | 35,600 |
| 212 Life science professionals | 34,885 |
| 221 Technical occupations in physical sciences | 34,605 |
| 825 Contractors and supervisors, agriculture, horticulture and related operations and services | 34,025 |
| 031 Managers in health care | 33,505 |
| 211 Physical science professionals | 32,550 |
| 227 Transportation officers and controllers | 32,380 |
| 738 Printing press operators and other trades and related occupations, n.e.c. | 30,805 |
| 944 Machine operators and related workers in textile, fabric, fur and leather products processing and manufacturing | 30,555 |
| 733 Other mechanics and related repairers | 29,755 |
| 125 Court reporters, transcriptionists, records management technicians and statistical officers | 29,450 |
| 065 Managers in customer and personal services, n.e.c. | 29,375 |
| 823 Underground miners, oil and gas drillers and related occupations | 28,885 |
| 312 Optometrists, chiropractors and other health diagnosing and treating professionals | 27,340 |
| 051 Managers in art, culture, recreation and sport | 26,470 |
| 826 Fishing vessel masters and fishermen/women | 26,370 |
| 653 Tourism and amusement services occupations | 25,420 |
| 923 Central control and process operators in processing and manufacturing | 24,705 |
| 041 Managers in public administration | 23,720 |
| 822 Contractors and supervisors, mining, oil and gas | 23,625 |
| 922 Supervisors, assembly and fabrication | 22,225 |
| 043 Managers in public protection services | 20,365 |
| 737 Crane operators, drillers and blasters | 19,385 |
| 521 Technical occupations in libraries, public archives, museums and art galleries | 19,100 |
| 947 Printing equipment operators and related occupations | 18,495 |
| 013 Managers in communication (except broadcasting) | 18,225 |
| 842 Logging and forestry workers | 17,595 |
| 523 Announcers and other performers, n.e.c. | 14,150 |
| 511 Librarians, archivists, conservators and curators | 13,850 |
| 081 Managers in natural resources production and fishing | 13,595 |
| 216 Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries | 13,105 |
| 841 Mine service workers and operators in oil and gas drilling | 12,480 |
| 736 Train crew operating occupations | 10,100 |
| 824 Logging machinery operators | 8,890 |
| 844 Other workers in fishing and trapping and hunting occupations | 7,640 |
| 821 Supervisors, logging and forestry | 4,765 |
| *People who reported working activity during the reference year. | |
| Source: Statistics Canada 2017 | |
OCCUPATIONS IN CANADA 2016
