Find the latest employment numbers in the Labour Market Information Dashboard.
Overall
- After a strong recovery from the COVID pandemic, Nova Scotia’s employment grew by 6.3% from 2020 to 2021. Growth continued through 2024 with steady annual increases of 3.5%, 2.7%, and 3.2%.
- In 2024, there were 521,300 people aged 15 and over employed in the province. The employment rate rose to 57.8%, slightly above the pre-pandemic level of 57.3% seen in 2019.
- Both goods-producing and services-producing sectors expanded between 2019 and 2024. The services sector grew faster, with an average annual increase of 2.6%, compared to 1.8% for goods-producing industries.
- The following industries saw the highest average annual employment growth:
- Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing: +8.2%
- Other services (excluding public administration): +7.3%
- Public administration: +7.0%
- Some industries experienced employment losses over the same period:
- Agriculture: -7.9% per year (largest decline)
- Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas: -0.9%
- Wholesale and retail trade: -0.8%
- Business, building, and other support services: -0.8%
Age
In 2024 employment continued to grow for all age groups.
- In 2024, there were 521,300 people aged 15 and over employed in Nova Scotia.
- Most workers were in the core working age group (25 to 54 years), making up 64.1% of all employed people.
- Workers aged 55 and older accounted for 22.8% of total employment.
- Of that group, 5.9% were aged 65 and over.
- Employment growth by age group from 2023-24 was:
- Ages 15–24: +2.6%
- Ages 25–54 (core age group): +3.8%
- Ages 55 and over: +1.9%
Source: Statistics Canada table: 14-10-0327-01
Shifting Age Trends in Employment
- Before 2020, most employed people in Nova Scotia were aged 45 to 64, with those aged 25 to 44 close behind.
- After 2020, this trend reversed — the 25 to 44 age group became the largest share of the employed population.
Employment Growth by Age (2014–2024)
- The number of youth aged 15 to 24 who were employed in 2024 was 9.5% higher than in 2014.
- For those aged 65 and over, employment rose by a much larger 75.5%, mostly due to population growth in this age group.
Source: Statistics Canada table: 14-10-0327-01
Gender and Industry
Men and women are concentrated in different sectors of the economy
- From 2014 to 2024, the goods-producing sector consistently employed far more men than women.
- In 2024, 81.5% of workers in this sector were men — a figure that has remained steady over time.
- Men dominated employment in all goods-producing industries, with their share ranging from:
- 91% in construction
- to 67% in utilities
Source: Statistics Canada Table: 14-10-0355-01
- In contrast, from 2014 to 2024, women made up a larger share of the workforce in the service-producing sector.
- The gender balance remained relatively stable over the decade. In 2024, women accounted for 55.8% of service-sector employment, while men made up 44.2%.
- Women outnumbered men in these service industries:
- Healthcare and social assistance
- Educational services
- Accommodation and food services
- Finance, real estate, rental, and leasing
- On the other hand, men dominated the “transportation and warehousing” sector, making up 80% of its workforce.
Source: Statistics Canada Table: 14-10-0355-01
Part-time vs Full-time Employment
In 2024 employment continued to grow for both full-time and part-time jobs
- In 2024, 82.7% of employed individuals held full-time jobs.
- From 2023 to 2024, full-time employment grew by 3.5%, outpacing the 1.7% growth in part-time jobs.
- This reverses the trend from 2022 to 2023, when part-time employment grew by 6.2%, compared to 2.0% for full-time jobs.
People working part-time do so for different reasons
In 2024, 81% of part-time workers were in their roles voluntarily.
- The top reasons:
- Personal preference: 29.8%
- Going to school: 25.5%
- Childcare and family responsibilities were a major factor for women:
- 15.9% of women cited this reason, compared to 4.6% of men.
Involuntary part-time work is rising:
- 18.9% of part-time workers took their jobs because of business conditions or an inability to find full-time work.
- This is an increase of 1.9 percentage points from 2023.
Source: Statistics Canada Table: 14-10-0029-01
Note: Part-time employment can either be voluntary or involuntary. Someone may be voluntarily employed part-time because they are in school or have other reasons or personal preferences. Involuntary part-time is a result of being employed part-time due to business conditions or not being able to find work that offers full-time hours.