The median employment income for newly certified journeypersons in Canada reached $56,580 in 2022, a modest increase of 1% from the previous year, according to new data. The rise follows a 12.2% increase in 2021 and a 5.7% decline in 2020, reflecting ongoing adjustments in the labour market after the COVID-19 pandemic.
While overall earnings have hit their highest level since tracking began in 2008, some trades continue to lag behind pre-pandemic income levels. Hairstylists saw the largest increase in 2022, with median earnings rising by 27% ($5,020), though their income remains below 2019 levels. Cooks (+8.8%) and welders (+8.6%) also saw significant gains, with welders surpassing their pre-pandemic earnings for the first time.
“The increase in hours worked due to improved labour market conditions may have contributed to these income gains,” the report noted.
Despite these overall improvements, trades such as ironworking and early childhood education have yet to recover fully. Powerline technicians, industrial instrumentation and control technicians, and agricultural equipment technicians, however, exceeded their pre-pandemic earnings.
The report also highlighted a shift in interprovincial mobility for journeypersons. In 2022, 5.8% of newly certified workers moved to another province or territory for employment, marking the first increase in mobility rates since 2013. British Columbia remained a top destination, attracting 22.2% of migrant journeypersons, driven by strong economic conditions and large-scale construction projects. Alberta and Ontario were also among the most popular destinations, but Alberta continued its six-year trend of negative net migration.
The removal of pandemic-related travel restrictions played a role in increased worker movement, offering journeypersons more employment opportunities across the country.
