The number of Canadians migrating to another province in search of a new job have reached the highest level in 25 years. This is what a report from the Economic Studies department of the Bank of Montreal has revealed.
The report that the Bank has just published ranks Canada’s regional job markets in terms of destination, attractiveness of a province and reasons for these migrations. It takes into account the income, job opportunities, accessibility of housing and the taxes of 19 of the country’s cities and regions.
Saskatchewan and Alberta in the lead
The study shows that Saskatchewan and Alberta attract the most Canadians who are ready to change province to find a job. Within these regions, Regina takes the lead as the most attractive job market in Canada with its professional prospects, average salary, accessibility of housing and level of taxes. It is followed by Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon, cities where the average salary is higher, the rate of unemployment is lower and the tax burden more moderate than elsewhere. Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick trail the market and are considered by the respondents to be the least attractive of the 19 Canadian regions.
Higher hourly wage
Workers who go to the central provinces are attracted by the glowing economic health of its two regions and especially by the many job opportunities available. Alberta and Saskatchewan have an unemployment rate of 4.4% and 3.6%, rates well below the national average of 6.9%. In addition, the average hourly wage is $6 more in Alberta than in the Maritime, a record discrepancy, and $4 more than in Ontario and British Columbia. Accessibility of housing and the level of taxes also make Alberta a promised land for workers seeking employment. Provincial taxes in Alberta are lower and there is also no provincial sales taxes.
Maritime provinces at the bottom of the table
These Canadians, seeking new professional opportunities, mostly come from British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. The Maritimes are the provinces from which the majority of Canadians leaving come from, with annual emigration being 11,000 people over the last twelve months, corresponding to 0.5% of the population. This number is explained by the high level of unemployment in the four Maritime provinces, recorded in a range from 9.1% in Nova Scotia to 11% in Newfoundland and Labrador.