Employment in Canada has increased during the last 12 months (+1.8%, + 317 000 jobs between June 2016 and 2017). This mostly results of increases in full-time work, and this trend continues for several years. However, some sectors, such as services, favour part time contracts, which provide unparalleled flexibility in response to market fluctuations.
With the demand for manpower (especially due to retirements and the lack of incoming replacements) some companies are hiring part time workers to retain older employees longer.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND TEACHING
Part time jobs are constantly increasing in government services and in natural and applied sciences (+ 4.3% between June 2016 and June 2017).
Teaching seems to be a sector that is favourable to part time work (+1.0% in June 2017). This sector has seen a growth rate of over 8.5%, the highest being in Nova Scotia in the Maritimes as well as in British Columbia, while Ontario seems to be going against the flow, recording declining workforces in both full time and part time work.
RETAIL TRADE
Situation of retail market has not been getting well during these last years, while we have seen the closure of many chain stores, existing for decades. A Manpower survey in 2016, was expecting a 3% increase in employment for the beginning of 2016. The most important raise occurred in the west of Canada (+14%) while Quebec has known its weakest employment rate in this sector since 2011.
In June 2017, in Canada, employment rate has slightly increased in the retail industry.
CHANGING ATTITUDES
Part time work is no longer the preserve of young people and women. For several years a real trend has been seen among retired people to return, voluntarily or not, to active life: for this labour force, the best way to reconcile retirement and employment is part time work. However, it would seem that some professions (plumbers, electricians, carpenters and specialized workers) prefer to be self-employed rather than employed under the orders of someone else. The analysis by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce leads in the same direction: it sees an increase in self-employed workers rather than part time employees. Perhaps this is good news for young people lacking in experience who are seeking a part time job?