Job prospects Harvest Hand in Nova Scotia

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "harvest hand" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nova Scotia

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Harvesting labourers (NOC 85101) in Nova Scotia for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Growth in Nova Scotia's agricultural sector continues to generate strong demand for this occupation. Jobs are often seasonal, short-term, physically demanding and may require working long hours. Opportunities are more common in rural areas of the province.

Here are some key facts about Harvesting labourers in Nova Scotia:

• Approximately 900 people work in this occupation.
• Harvesting labourers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Agriculture (NAICS 111, 112, 1151, 1152): more than 95%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 67% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 33% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 21% of harvesting labourers work all year, while 79% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 29 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of harvesting labourers are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 62% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 38% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 34% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 40% compared to 27% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 6% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 12% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 6% compared to 20% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Nova Scotia by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "harvest hand" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

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