Canada is one of the leading countries for various sectors such as IT, health and industry. It is one of the most popular countries that immigrants prefer to go to hoping to find a job. Canada has an employment deficit and every year welcomes large numbers of immigrants. Those who are not satisfied with their salary in their home country apply for migration to Canada.
So what are the differences in living standards? What are the jobs and salaries in Canada? How much are the salaries in Canada, where the education level is high and labor force is needed? We have researched for you the answer to the question of how much the minimum wage, unemployment benefit and other professional salaries are in Canada, which many people are curious about.
What is the Minimum Wage in Canada?
In Canada, salaries are determined differently in each province. Since there are 10 separate provinces in the country, it can be observed that there is a difference between the salaries of those who are engaged in the same job but work in different provinces.
Salaries are determined on an hourly basis in Canada. For example, the hourly minimum wage in the province of Saskatchewan is 13 Canadian dollars. In developed Canadian cities such as Ottawa, the hourly wage is higher than in other cities, reaching 16 Canadian dollars, while in Ontario it is 15.50 CAD.
We said that salaries in Canada are determined on an hourly basis. So, if you ask how many hours are worked in Canada, we can say that the official working hours are between 37 and 40 hours. In some provinces, weekly working hours can even reach 44-48 hours. Weekly working days are 5 days, similar to Turkey.
The average minimum wage in Canada ranges between 2,400 Canadian dollars and 2,800 Canadian dollars. Although living on minimum wage in developed cities is quite difficult, in other cities it is very difficult to make ends meet. Especially high house rents make it difficult to live on minimum wage. If you have a family with children, it is important to work for wages higher than the minimum wage in order to make ends meet.
Only 7% of the Canadian Citizen Earn the Minimum Wage
The minimum wage is the lowest wage that a worker can be paid to ensure that they are able to live at least at a minimum level. Canada is a country in need of labor in general. It also receives a lot of immigration from other foreign countries due to the low number of workers. The majority of Canada's own citizens and workers from other countries are self-employed and earn wages well above the minimum wage. Therefore, there are not many people in Canada earning the minimum wage.
Only 7% of the Canadian citizen population earns the minimum wage. Among workers from other countries working in Canada, 30% earn the minimum wage. Of course, these wages can increase over time as workers gain experience and improve their skills.
How much is the unemployment salary in Canada?
We have already mentioned that there is a need for labor in Canada. For this reason, we can say that the unemployment rate in the country is at very low levels and even the unemployment rate in the country is expected to drop to 0%. However, some people are still unable to work for reasons that they cannot help.
The Canadian Human Resources Center provides unemployment insurance for a maximum of 10 months to help those who are unemployed against their will. In this context, Canadian citizens who are unemployed are given approximately 2,000 Canadian dollars as unemployment salary. Thanks to this salary, Canada acts with a social state approach and contributes to the livelihood of unemployed citizens.
Employee Wages in Canada by Occupation
Minimum wages and unemployment benefits are only partially sufficient to live on their own in Canada, while most other professions earn Canada offers a high quality of life. Working in Canada, it is possible to earn almost 6-7 times the salary you can earn in Turkey with the same effort and equipment. The salary earned by each profession is different from each other according to various factors.
As of 2023, if you are wondering which profession earns how much in Canada, you can find Canada's highest-paying professions in the table below.
Average earnings represent the total amount earned per year in Canadian dollars and according to official Canadian government data.
Highest-Paid Jobs in Canada (Diploma)
There are high-paying job opportunities for diploma holders in Canada in fields ranging from energy installation to computer engineering technologies. Average earnings range from $128,310 to $52,528.
Highest Paid Occupations (Diploma) | Average Earnings |
Installer and operator of stationary energy sources | $128,310 |
Heavy/industrial equipment maintenance technologies | $74,248 |
Assistance in health diagnostic, intervention and treatment occupations | $69,163 |
Electrical and electronic engineering technologies/technicians | $68,748 |
Land transportation | $66,950 |
Mechanical engineering related technologies/technicians | $64,910 |
Environmental, mining, petroleum and other engineering | $64,382 |
Civil engineering technology/technician | $63,742 |
Drawing, architecture, surveying and mapping technologies | $61,725 |
Precision metalworking and manufacturing processes | $58,691 |
Security and protective services | $58,577 |
Computer engineering technologies/technicians | $58,336 |
Electrical/electronic maintenance and repair technology | $58,104 |
Vehicle maintenance and repair technologies | $57,045 |
Air transportation | $56,471 |
Building/construction completion, management and supervision | $56,072 |
Forestry | $55,881 |
General mechanics and repairers | $55,159 |
Natural resources and conservation | $54,925 |
Computer science | $54,829 |
Nursing | $54,674 |
Other computer and information sciences and support services | $53,926 |
Science technologies/technicians | $53,177 |
Construction sector, general | $52,676 |
Architecture and related disciplines | $52,528 |
Highest-paid Jobs in Canada (Bachelor)
High-paying job opportunities are available for bachelor's graduates in a wide range of fields, from pharmacy to economics. Average earnings range from $109,645 to $55,713.
Highest Paid Occupations (Bachelor's Degree) | Average Earnings |
Pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences and management | $109,645 |
Chemical engineering and related studies | $91,278 |
Other engineering related fields | $80,003 |
Nursing | $79,896 |
Electrical engineering | $78,225 |
Mechanical engineering | $77,028 |
Geology and earth sciences | $74,454 |
Computer engineering | $73,965 |
Civil engineering and related studies | $73,851 |
Computer science | $69,884 |
Industrial and manufacturing engineering | $69,625 |
Other physical sciences | $68,876 |
Therapy and assessment programs | $66,713 |
Law, legal services and legal studies | $65,063 |
Other computer and information sciences and support | $64,854 |
Mathematics and statistics | $64,407 |
Accounting | $62,052 |
Finance and financial management services | $61,664 |
Business, trade and administrations | $61,412 |
Public health | $58,371 |
Other health professions and related clinical sciences | $57,946 |
Marketing | $55,978 |
Natural resources and conservation | $55,918 |
Social work | $55,800 |
Economy | $55,713 |
Highest-Paid Jobs in Canada (Master's)
High-paying jobs are available for individuals with a master's degree in fields such as finance, pharmacy and accounting. Average earnings range from $106,578 to $78,910.
Highest Paid Jobs (Master's Degree) | Average Earnings |
Finance and financial management services | $106,578 |
Pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences and management | $103,059 |
Accounting | $102,610 |
Business, trade and administrations | $100,022 |
Law, legal services and legal studies | $98,021 |
Other engineering related fields | $97,008 |
Nursing | $94,734 |
Computer science | $92,521 |
Chemical engineering and related studies | $92,509 |
Computer Engineering | $92,503 |
Civil engineering and related studies | $92,172 |
Industrial and manufacturing engineering | $90,820 |
Mechanical Engineering | $90,624 |
Electrical engineering | $89,487 |
Economy | $85,639 |
Geology and earth sciences/geosciences | $85,158 |
Human resources management and services | $84,570 |
Public Health | $84,399 |
Marketing | $83,958 |
Other health professions and related clinical sciences | $83,523 |
Mathematics and statistics | $83,473 |
Public administration and other social work professions | $80,932 |
Therapy and assessment programs | $80,899 |
Education | $80,507 |
Other computer and information sciences and support | $78,910 |
Highest-paid Jobs in Canada (Medicine)
In the medical sector, professions such as dentistry, optometry and veterinary medicine are characterized by high salaries. Average earnings range from $105,547 to $83,353.
Highest Paid Professions (Medicine) | Average Earnings |
Dentistry | $105,547 |
Optometry | $99,748 |
Veterinary Medicine | $85,063 |
Medicine (MD) | $83,353 |
Highest-paid Jobs in Canada (Technical Occupations)
In technical occupations, fields such as power fitters, heavy equipment maintenance and electrical fitters are notable for high salaries. Average earnings range from $106,656 to $30,656.
Highest Salaried Occupations (Technical Occupations) | Average Earnings |
Installer and operator of stationary energy sources | $106,656 |
Heavy/industrial equipment maintenance technologies | $97,970 |
Electrical and power transmission installers | $88,414 |
Heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration maintenance | $82,983 |
Construction sector, general | $81,536 |
Plumbing and related water supply services | $80,661 |
Precision metalworking and manufacturing activities | $79,316 |
Precision systems maintenance and repair technologies | $74,276 |
Land transportation | $73,305 |
Vehicle maintenance and repair technologies | $68,120 |
Audiovisual and graphic communication technology/technician | $66,550 |
Building/construction completion, management and supervision | $64,619 |
Electrical/electronic maintenance and repair technology | $64,165 |
Carpentry | $63,791 |
General mechanics and repairers | $63,140 |
Masonry | $59,377 |
Security and protective services | $59,009 |
Woodworking | $50,993 |
Agricultural activities and related sciences | $50,039 |
Drawing, architecture, surveying and mapping technologies | $49,020 |
Culinary arts and related services | $44,553 |
Other computer, information science and support services | $40,311 |
Paramedics / assistants / orderlies | $38,355 |
Esthetics and related personal care services | $30,656 |
*Salaries are on an annual basis, without deducting taxes or other deductions.
** The above salary information is provided by the Canadian government. Detailed information and resources can be found on Canada's official job portal Canada Job Bank
***Salary amounts indicated are in CAD - Canadian Dollars.
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