National Outlook – 10-Year Projection (2011-2020)

This section provides labour demand and labour supply projections for this occupation over the 2011-2020 period.

Note: The tables, graphs and middle paragraph shown under this section display updated 2011-2020 projection results. The remaining narrative text (2009-2018 projections) will be updated shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The data in the following table are derived from HRSDC’s Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS). COPS uses a variety of models to produce a detailed 10-year labour market projection per broad skill level and per occupation at the national level, which focuses on the trends of labour supply and labour demand over the next ten years.

This occupation (Oil and Gas Drilling, Servicing and Related Labourers) is part of a larger occupational group called Primary Production Labourers (NOC 861).

Occupation Projection for Canada

Over the 2008-2010 period, this occupation experienced an increase in employment similar to that for all occupations while its unemployment rate, one of the highest for all occupations, increased more quickly than average to 25.6% in 2010. The average hourly wage for this occupation, one of the lowest among the 140 occupations, increased at the same rate as the average. According to key labour market indicators, the number of job seekers was more than sufficient to fill the job openings in this occupation.

Over the 2011-2020 period, an occupation will be in excess demand (a shortage of workers) if the projected number of job openings is significantly greater than the projected number of job seekers. An occupation will be in excess supply (a surplus of workers) if the projected number of job openings is smaller than the projected number of job seekers. For Primary Production Labourers, over the 2011-2020 period, job openings (arising from expansion demand and replacement demand) are expected to total 26,204 and 24,747 job seekers (arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility) are expected to be available to fill the job openings.

Based on projections and considering the labour surplus in this occupation, it is expected that this occupation will remain in that situation. In other words, the number of job seekers will exceed the number of job openings in this occupation over the 2011-2020 period. Job openings will arise from both economic growth and retirements. Although the retirement rate will be lower than average, retirements will be a significant source of job openings in this occupation. With regard to labour supply, school leavers will be the main source of job seekers. The number of school leavers alone will be sufficient to meet all of the demand over the 2011-2020 period. However, since this occupation does not require any specific training, a large number of workers will choose to work in this occupation while looking for employment that better matches their career goals. As a result, a number of workers will leave this occupation in the coming years for other employment, which will compensate, in part, for the large number of school leavers.

This Chart contains data for Projection of Job Openings vs. Job Seekers for Canada. Information is available in the following tables.

In which industry or sector do people in this occupation find jobs in Canada?

This table shows the industry and sectors employing the highest number of people in this occupation.

What percentage of people in this occupation are self-employed?

The graph displays the percentage of people in this occupation who are “self-employed”, according to the 2006 Census, in comparison to the Canadian average across all occupations.

As shown in the graph, according to the 2006 Census, 4% of people in this occupation were self-employed, while the average for all occupations was 12%.

The data from the Labour Force Survey (2009) regarding self-employment for this group are not sufficiently reliable to be published.

What percentage of people in this occupation are members of a union?

This occupation (Oil and Gas Drilling, Servicing and Related Labourers) is part of a larger group called Primary Production Labourers (NOC 861). According to the Labour Force Survey (2009), the unionization rate for this group was 18%, while the unionization rate for all occupations was 31%.