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