The winter university semester wrapped up in April, and while many university students have already shifted gears and started working their summer jobs, others may still be on the hunt for the perfect gig.
Let’s take a look at the labour landscape for youth aged 20 to 24 years so far this summer.
Employment rate among returning students
In May, the most recent month for which data are available, just over three-quarters (76.3%) of Canadian youth aged 20 to 24 years were in the labour market, with 68.5% working and 1 in 10 being unemployed (10.2%).
In May, the employment rate of returning students aged 20 to 24 years was 61.0%, 2.9 percentage points lower than in May 2023 (63.9%). In comparison, the average employment rate for May in 2017, 2018 and 2019 was 62.2% (not seasonally adjusted).
The decline from May 2023 to May 2024 for returning students was primarily among males aged 20 to 24 years, whose employment rate fell 6.6 percentage points to 57.3% over that period. The employment rate for female returning students aged 20 to 24 years was 64.2% in May 2024 and was little changed from the same month one year earlier.
Where are returning students working?
The most commonly worked summer jobs for returning students varied based on gender.
In May, among returning students aged 20 to 24 years, young men most commonly worked summer jobs in retail trade (27.2%), accommodation and food services (14.8%) and information, culture and recreation (10.7%).
In comparison, young women most commonly worked summer jobs in accommodation and food services (23.6%), retail trade (20.9%) and health care and social assistance (15.0%).
Fewer job vacancies in some sectors
The job vacancy rate was lower this March (the most recent month data are available) than 12 months earlier in accommodation and food services (5.0% versus 7.6%), retail trade (2.9% versus 4.2%) and arts, entertainment and recreation (4.3% versus 4.5%).
Which sectors have the highest weekly earnings?
Returning students working this summer are earning more money on average in a few key sectors.
Among sectors that typically employ youth over the summer months, the highest weekly earnings including overtime for all employees in March were at recreational vehicle parks and recreational camps ($773.18), traveller accommodation ($646.17) and special food services places such as banquet halls, cafeterias or caterers ($547.53).
In March, employees at recreational vehicle parks and recreational camps were making $69.38 more a week compared with 12 months earlier, while those working at special food services places were making $61.26 more.
School’s out for summer! Check out what the labour landscape looks like for high school students as they head into their summer vacation: A few clouds with some rays of sunshine in the high school job market this summer.
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