British Columbia will see more than one million job openings over the next 10 years, with most positions requiring post-secondary education or training, according to the province’s 2025 Labour Market Outlook released Friday.
Employment is projected to grow from 2.9 million in October 2025 to 3.3 million by 2035, representing an average annual growth rate of 1.2 per cent. The forecast aims to help employers, post-secondary institutions and workers plan for future hiring and training needs.
Most jobs require education or experience
Seventy-seven per cent of job openings over the next decade will require some form of post-secondary education, training or previous work experience. Every high-opportunity occupation in the forecast falls into this category.
The forecast reflects slower population growth due to reduced federal immigration levels, which has affected labour supply and demand for workers in certain sectors.
Healthcare leads job creation
Five industries will account for 58 per cent of all job openings:
Health care and social assistance: 199,200 openings (19 per cent of total)
Professional, scientific and technical services: 162,200 openings (15 per cent)
Retail trade: 100,900 openings (10 per cent)
Construction: 87,300 openings (eight per cent)
Finance, insurance and real estate: 64,700 openings (six per cent)
The outlook does not account for the impact of recently fast-tracked major projects, which are expected to create additional employment beyond these projections.
Annual updates reflect changing conditions
The province updates the Labour Market Outlook annually to reflect changing economic conditions and workforce trends. The 10-year forecast helps governments, organizations and employers make decisions about careers, education programs and hiring strategies.
The forecast provides information about current and future job opportunities across 512 occupations, industries and regions in the province.
