There is supposed to be a shortage of workers in Canada due to many “baby boomers” who are set to retire from their jobs, based on their 2021 census.
“Never before has the number of people nearing retirement been so high,” according to Statistics Canada.
It is said that more than one in five workers (21.8 percent) is close to the mandatory or proposed retirement age of 65.
The layoffs of so-called “baby boomers” are cited as one of the causes of labor shortages faced by some industries in different parts of the country.
“Baby boomers” – born between 1946 and 1965 – reportedly began retiring in 2011. But the number of them quitting work is now on the rise.
A separate report by the government agency in late 2021 said there were nearly a million job vacancies in Canada, double the number in 2020.
The industries affected by the labor shortage are restaurant staff, construction laborers, nurses, and social workers.
“We have seen this coming for a long time with the aging of the population,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau said Ottawa has reportedly invested in the education and training of young people “so that they can get the best possible jobs that will support the population, and boosted immigration to record levels.”
Baby boomers retiring allegedly worsens jobs crisis in Canada
Last month, the government also launched a national child care program to encourage mothers to return to work immediately after giving birth.
However, the previous policy of raising the retirement age to 67 was reversed due to the labor crisis.
According to the census, seven million Canadians- out of a total population of 37 million- are aged 65 or over. Those aged 85 and over are expected to reach 2.7 million over the next decade.
Population aging is associated with a low fertility rate of 1.4 children born per woman in Canada. At the same time, according to Statistics Canada, there is a slight increase in life expectancy.
Last March, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said it could increase job opportunities for Filipinos in Canada.
Bello then went to Canada to sign bilateral labor agreements on jobs for Filipinos in Ontario and the Yukon.
Foreign workers in Canada can also obtain a resident visa.
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