Average salary in Canada 2024: Industrywise per-hour salary

When you start looking for a new job or role, the average salary offered by employers plays a vital role in understanding the monetary expectations from the job and gives you insight into the overall job market.

Whether you are planning to move to Canada to earn a living or are already settled in the country, the data about the average salary in Canada can be a crucial tool to determine your future decisions.

Key Statistics:

• According to the CEOWORLD Magazine report, Canada is seventh for the highest average monthly net salaries in 2023.
• As per the Statistics Canada data, the average per-hour salary in Canada for September 2023 for all employees across all industries was $34.01. The average hourly wage rate for full-time employees was $36.03, whereas for part-time employees, it was $24.10 across all industries.
• A Morgan McKinley survey suggests that the average salary in Canada in 2023 is over $70,000 annually (pre-tax).

Canada is famous for its high quality of life, ample job opportunities, best-in-class education facilities, political stability, and thriving economy. All of these attract students as well as professionals across the globe. Knowledge about the basic average income in Canada can help you better understand the salary expectations, narrow your search and approach the right employers.

Factors Affecting Salaries

An individual’s salary in Canada is determined by various factors, as mentioned below:

• Salary by education level: An individual’s education level and expertise in the field is a major determinant affecting their average salary in Canada per month.
• Number of hours: Part-time workers typically earn less than their full-time counterparts.
• Location: The location of the business is an influencing factor that determines salaries.
• Economic factors affecting salaries: Demand and supply, inflation, government regulations, etc., are a few economic factors affecting salaries. For example, if there is high demand for certain professionals and the supply isn’t sufficient, the salaries tend to increase and vice versa. Similarly, any change in government regulation will also impact the salary structure.
• Employer’s ability to pay: If the organization is running into losses or earning thin profits, the basic salary in Canada earned by an individual will be less than that of other employers.
• Labour unions: The bargaining strength of the trade unions (if applicable) also influence the salary levels.

Must Read: 5 easy steps to get a job in Canada from India

Industry Wise Average Per-Hour Salary in Canada

Industries as per the North American Industry Classification System

Source: Statistics Canada

Average Salary for Full-Time Workers in Canada (Top Sectors)

The job market in Canada comprises different sectors like medical or healthcare, legal, finance, technology, engineering, etc. As mentioned earlier, income in Canada is influenced by various factors, and the sector plays a vital role in the pay scale difference. It is important to understand the pay scale in Canada in your sector or field to set realistic salary expectations.

The average salary in Canada for a full-time employee in the below top sectors are:

Source: Glassdoor and Talent 

Must Read: How to get Canadian citizenship for Indians

Let us now look at the average salary in Canada in the top 5 jobs in each of these sectors.

Sector 1: Medicine

Source: Indeed

Sector 2: Engineering

Source: Talent

Sector 3: Legal

Source: Indeed

Sector 4: Information Technology

Source: Talent

Sector 5: Banking, Finance & Insurance

Source: Talent

Also Read: Here Are 75 Canadian English slangs & phrases you must know

Average Salary for Part-Time Workers in Canada

Living in Canada means enjoying a high quality of life, exposure to various cultures and excellent study and work opportunities. However, since the standard of living in Canada is high, most individuals stretch a bit to cover their expenses. Students and homemakers working part-time is a common sight in Canada. Moreover, the country offers ample part-time working opportunities to fulfill your dreams.

Major sectors where part-time recruitment takes place are:

• Accommodation and food services
• Education services
• Transportation and warehousing
• Information, culture and recreation
• Services-producing sector

The average part-time per-hour salary in Canada is $19 or $37,048 per year. The salary may vary depending on the sector, expertise and other factors. The top 5 highest-paying part-time jobs in Canada (for students) are:

You can check the complete list of top part-time jobs for students in Canada, the rules associated with it and other details.

Some of the common part-time jobs and per-hour salary in Canada for non-students are:

Average Salary in Canada: City Wise

According to the Canadian Income Survey 2021, the median income in Canada after-tax income in 2021 was $68,400, a little change from the previous year’s $69,000. Below are the provincial salary variations in Canada for 2021 as per the government data.

Highest Paying Jobs in Canada

According to the Labour Force Survey, September 2023, employment rose by 64,000 (+0.3%) in September, against an increase of 40,000 (+0.2%) in August. With the increase in employment opportunities and unemployment being relatively low at 5.5%, the Canadian salary trend and employment rate show upward movement.

Surgeons and other healthcare professionals typically have the highest average income in Canada. Some of the other high-paying jobs in Canada are:

Lowest/Minimum Paying Jobs in Canada

To understand the lowest-paying jobs in Canada, let us first look at the province-wise current minimum wage for general workers across the country.

It must be noted that a few provinces have different (lower) minimum wages for students and homeworkers working part-time.

Most of these lowest-paying jobs do not offer full-time opportunities, and individuals are required to take up multiple jobs to make ends meet. Typically, these jobs are targeted towards students. Some of the lowest-paying jobs with their average wage in Canada are:

• Dishwasher: $14 per hour
• Service station attendant: $14 per hour
• Cashier: $14 per hour
• Food and beverage server: $15 per hour
• Hotel clerk: $16 per hour 

(Note: These are average per-hour salaries excluding the tipping.)

Salary for Experience

Experience is one of the key determining factors for your salary. Although education level reveals your potential, inclination and achievements, experience highlights the industry insights, career progression and ability to perform the tasks. An individual with rich experience is better informed on task handling, managing teams and workplace pressures and challenges. Moreover, more experience would mean more business contacts and better negotiation skills.

One can do a Canadian salary comparison for experience in their particular field. Let us take an example to understand better.

• An entry-level software engineer with experience of less than a year would earn an average of $65,000 annual salary. In contrast, one with 1-4 years of experience in the field can get an average compensation of around $77,000 per year.
• The salary progresses with several relevant experience years; hence, a mid-career engineer with 5-9 years of experience earns around $90,000 annually, and those with above 10 years of experience can earn an average salary of $97,000 annually.
• Individuals having a rich experience of more than 20 years in their relevant field enjoy the highest package of average salary in Canada of around $1,64,000.

Difference between Median and Average Salary

Median and average salaries are often used interchangeably and can be confusing, but the difference between the two is significant.

Average Salary

It is also called the mean salary or the average base salary and is calculated by adding all the salaries of a group of employees and then dividing them by the number of employees in that group. The average salary can be pulled lower or higher depending on the salaries in distribution.

Example: If Employee A earns $40,000, Employee B earns $60,000, and Employee C earns $70,000, the average salary would be $56,666. 

Median Salary

Median salary is the salary level that is in the middle. It is calculated by arranging the salaries of a group in descending order and finding the middle value. Thus, half of the salaries are less than the median, and the remaining half are more than the median. Since the median salary is just a specific distribution point, it cannot be pulled higher or lower by other salaries.

Example: If Employee A earns $40,000, Employee B earns $60,000, and Employee C earns $70,000, the median salary would be $60,000. 

Average Salary Vs Median Salary: Which is Better for Benchmarking?

When a distribution is skewed, the median is a better indicator of understanding the centre point, whereas when the distribution is fairly symmetrical, the average can be a better indicator. However, both these measures combined can help analyse data better. For instance, if the average salary is much higher than the median salary, it would mean a few employees in the group are earning significantly more than the overall group. 

Before you go…

Choosing a career based on ability, interests, and future growth is the best-suited way. The above article on Canadian salary comparison based on average salary can help you negotiate better, hone your skills and stay more informed about the current job scenario.

Apart from understanding the pay scale in Canada, if you are an international student or immigrant, it is equally important to know ways to transfer money overseas safely and with minimum hassle. Instarem is a trusted money transfer app that facilitates cross-border money transfers in a fast*, affordable# and convenient way.

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Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only. All details are accurate at the time of publishing. Instarem has no affiliation or relationship with the products or vendors mentioned.

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USA – Average Salary in USA

UK – Average Salary in UK