Most immigrants to New Brunswick obtain permanent residency through economic immigration programmes, thus understanding which jobs are in great demand in the province is a vital step in emigrating to it.

Economic immigration programmes contributed for 84.3 percent of all new permanent immigrants to New Brunswick in 2019, the final full year before the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic in Canada.

Dr. Heather Morrison, Prince Edward Island’s top public health officer, stated in late November that the province was already going forward with vaccination booster doses.

Because of its impressive COVID-19 track record, Prince Edward Island has become a popular destination for Canadians attempting to avoid areas of the country with higher COVID-19 case numbers.

Even during the epidemic, the flight from the rest of Canada to the little province supported a house construction boom and pushed up the province’s real GDP.

“Retail and wholesale sales on the island have certainly benefited from the province’s loose stance, with year-to-date increases of about 20% and 30%, respectively,” wrote economists Beata Caranci, Derek Burleton, Rishi Sondhi, and Omar Abdelrahman in their TD Economics Provincial Economic Forecast in late September.

“This is far better than Canada’s performance,” they said. “Provincial government expenditure and construction are also expected to contribute significantly to growth this year, with the latter supported by a significant increase in non-residential building development.” This includes business investment, which has defied national trends.”

According to TD Economics, the Maritime province’s real GDP will expand by 4.2% this year, more than offsetting the drop caused by the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic last year and a tightening of the labour market. Economists predict that real GDP will expand by another 2.4% in 2022.

Here are the top five in-demand jobs on Prince Edward Island for foreign nationals looking to move to Canada.

1. Transport Truck Drivers (NOC 7511)

During the pandemic, as more Canadians shifted to online shopping, the need for truck drivers to carry such packages surged, even as many of these individuals opted out of the labour to avoid contracting COVID-19.

The Indeed employment website offered 57 trucker openings in the province in early December. Jobbank has rated the occupation as “excellent” in terms of job prospects.

In Prince Edward Island, the typical yearly salary for a trucker working a regular workweek is $37,500, however this may jump to $53,625 depending on experience.

2. Nurses (NOC 3012)

Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses offer direct nursing care to patients, as well as health education programmes and consultation services on nursing-related concerns.

Indeed, in early December, Prince Edward Island had 164 available nursing posts, as the COVID-19 outbreak increased demand for nurses across the country.

The median annual salary for the occupation is $78,000 based on a 37.5-hour work week, with top wage earners earning up to $86,500.

3. Physicians – Family (NOC 3112)

Indeed posted 71 opportunities for family physicians on Prince Edward Island in early December.

Family physicians and general practitioners diagnose and treat illnesses, physiological abnormalities, and accidents. They are often employed in private practise, including group or team practises, hospitals, and clinics. This unit group includes residents preparing to be general practitioners or family doctors.

They earn a typical yearly income of $229,690 on the island, but can earn up to $357,470.

4. Cooks (NOC 6322) and Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers (NOC 6711)

Chefs and kitchen assistants are in short supply in Prince Edward Island, according to restaurateurs.

When the COVID-19 epidemic first caused lockdowns, several eateries were forced to close and lay off employees. Despite the government’s provision of emergency income replacements, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, many workers just went out and sought new employment at that period.

Many restaurateurs discovered that their previous personnel had moved on and were no longer accessible by the time the restaurants were allowed to re-open. Since then, the business has struggled to fill open positions.

According to Indeed, there were 60 job openings for food counter attendants and another 37 for chefs in Prince Edward Island in early December.

The typical annual salary for a cook in that province is $27,300, based on a 37.5-hour work week, with those at the top of the wage spectrum earning $34,125.

Food counter attendants in the province earn a typical annual pay of $25,350 based on a regular work week, but may earn up to $36,560 per year.

5. General Labourers (NOC 9619)

These are the individuals who do the majority of the hard lifting at industrial plants.

They physically or with powered machinery transfer raw materials, completed goods, and equipment across factories, examine and weigh materials and products, and sort, pack, box, and package materials and products.

In early December, Indeed offered 61 jobs for general labourers in Prince Edward Island.

They earn a typical annual pay of $29,250 based on a 37.5-hour work week, but may earn up to $37,540.