Job prospects Labourer - Material Handling in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "payroll administrator" in British Columbia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in British Columbia

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be moderate for Material handlers (NOC 75101) in British Columbia for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Increasing levels of online purchasing have supported demand for employment in transportation and warehousing.

Projected economic growth over the forecast period, including improved levels of business and consumer spending in support of the transportation and warehousing sector, should support demand for this occupation.

The need to recruit and train new workers into non-driver roles is expected to increase, according to Trucking HR Canada’s labour market outlook to 2030.

Here are some key facts about Material handlers in British Columbia:

• Approximately 29,400 people work in this occupation.
• Material handlers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): 19%
  • Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 18%
  • Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 14%
  • Computer systems design services (NAICS 5415): 6%
  • Truck transportation (NAICS 484): 6%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 83% compared to 78% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 17% compared to 22% for all occupations
• 59% of material handlers work all year, while 41% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 41 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of material handlers are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 81% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 19% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 16% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 49% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 9% compared to 13% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 11% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 12% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in British Columbia by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

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

The data from the Labour Force Survey (2015) regarding the proportion of people in this occupation who were self-employed are not sufficiently reliable to be published.

Source Labour Force Survey – Statistics Canada | queryString="cid=2561"Legal note

What proportion of people in this occupation work full-time?

According to the Labour Force Survey (2015), in Canada, 87% of workers in this occupation worked full-time, compared to the average of 81% for all occupations.

Source Labour Force Survey – Statistics Canada | queryString="cid=2561"Legal note

What is the proportion of women working in this occupation?

According to the National Household Survey (2011), in Canada, women represented 12% of workers in this occupation compared to the average of 48% for all occupations.

Source Labour Force Survey – Statistics Canada | queryString="cid=2561"Legal note

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

This occupation (Material handlers) is part of a larger group called Longshore workers and material handlers (NOC 745). According to the Labour Force Survey (2015), in Canada, the unionization rate for this group was 30%, while the unionization rate for all occupations was 31%.

Source Labour Force Survey – Statistics Canada | queryString="cid=2561"Legal note