As with the rest of the Canadian provinces, Nova Scotia also saw its job market adversely affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Public health measures due to Covid-19 forced many workplaces to close – both temporarily and permanently – and restricted skilled migration to Canada, which had a direct impact on several key sectors in Nova Scotia that rely on skilled migrants.
However, according to a government study conducted on the jobs that were affected by the pandemic, some jobs saw an increase in demand throughout Nova Scotia.
Below are three jobs that increased in demand in Nova Scotia during the Covid-19 pandemic:
1. Natural and applied sciences and related jobs
Natural and applied sciences and other related jobs were largely unaffected during the pandemic in Nova Scotia, due to the convenience of working remotely, or while respecting social distancing measures.
Professionals in a number of engineering fields enjoyed good prospects during the pandemic, while the number of computer and information systems professionals also increased steadily in Nova Scotia during the pandemic.
Some of Nova Scotia’s most in-demand natural and applied sciences jobs during the pandemic include:
- Information systems analysts and consultants (NOC 2171);
- Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173);
- Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174);
- Deck officers, water transport (NOC 2273); and
- User support technicians (NOC 2282).
2. Business, finance, and administration jobs
Jobs related to business, finance, and administration fared relatively well throughout the pandemic in Nova Scotia. Employers and employees were able to conduct their operations in many of these jobs remotely, which prevented any negative impacts on job demand and employment rates.
Some such occupations include:
- Financial auditors and accountants (NOC 1111);
- Administrative officers (NOC 1221);
- Administrative assistants (NOC 1241); and
- General office support workers (NOC 1411).
3. Health jobs
The health sector in Nova Scotia employs one-tenth of the entire provincial population. While there was already a high demand for health sector occupations before the pandemic, it increased even further since the coronavirus outbreak due to an aging population and the increasing popularity of home care in the province.
Some health sector jobs that were positively impacted in Nova Scotia during the pandemic include:
- Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 3012);
- Licensed practical nurses (NOC 3233);
- Massage therapists (NOC 3236); and
- Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates (NOC 3413).
