The 20 Highest Paying in-Demand Jobs in Canada for 2020

Whether you’re just starting your career or whether you’re considering a career change, it only makes sense to choose a field where you’ll have a fair chance of actually finding a job. After all, if you’re going to be unemployed while looking for that $200k-a-year job you’re qualified for, you’ll be worse off than the person who qualified for an $80k-a-year job but gets to go to work every day. To know which jobs are in demand in Canada for 2020, we looked at the Canadian Occupational Projection System’s projections of which jobs will see shortages until 2026. Using that data, we bring you 20 in demand jobs in Canada for 2020.

And for comparison sake, don’t miss the 2019 version and 2018 version of this list.

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Registered Nurse (Annual salary: $41,396 to $128,655)

Registered nurses have one of those careers that in demand in 2020 and after. As a registered nurse, you need a university degree and will basically be a doctor’s right hand in treating patients. You can specialize in a certain field, for instance by coming a registered psychiatric nurse. The average pay for a registered nurse in Canada is $75,680, according to Neuvoo.

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Licensed Practical Nurse (Annual salary: $31,683 to $97,602)

When it comes to jobs in demand 2020 seems like it will be a good year to become a licensed practical nurse. A licensed practical nurse does a job very similar to that of a registered nurse but can usually do it with a diploma rather than a degree in nursing. Neuvoo says that the average salary for a licensed practical nurse in Canada is $57,413 a year.

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Occupational Therapist (Annual salary: $34,964 to $102,102)

While many medical professionals focus on what a patient can’t do anymore, an occupational therapist focuses on what the patient still can do. The idea is to use everyday activities to help promote the patient’s health and wellbeing. It’s one of the jobs with the best starting salaries in Canada and according to Neuvoo, the average pay for an occupational therapist is $72,764 a year.

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Physiotherapist (Annual salary: $31,997 to $102,102)

As a physiotherapist you’ll have one of those careers where no day is the same as the one before. You may work with athletes, amputees, children, the elderly, pregnant women and more, helping them regain physical function after injury or illness. Neuvoo says that the average salary for a physiotherapist in Canada is $73,702 a year.

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Respiratory Therapist (Annual salary: $32,628 to $100,718)

One of the great jobs for women in trades is that of respiratory therapist, where you work with people who suffer from some kind of pulmonary disease like asthma. According to Neuvoo, the average salary for a respiratory therapist in Canada is $64,914.

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Massage Therapist (Annual salary: $27,440 to $99,450)

Massage therapists have one of the fastest growing and most versatile careers. You can choose whether you want to work in a hospital or health clinic, in a spa, at a luxury hotel or resort, at a fitness centre, from home or at the client’s home. Neuvoo says that the average annual salary for a massage therapist is $58,500.

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Audiologist (Annual salary: $55,456 to $107,738)

Audiology is one of the highest paying jobs in Canada for women, with more women than men entering this field. As census results show how Canada’s population continues to age, demand for experts in hearing loss and how to treat it will continue to grow. Neuvoo says that the average annual salary for an audiologist in Canada is $68,708.

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Chiropractor (Annual salary: $39,872 to $100,181)

While chiropractors are not medical doctors, the complementary care they give can really help people with problems like lower back pain and some hospitals have chiropractors on their staff. According to Neuvoo, the average annual salary for a chiropractor in Canada is $70,200.

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Optician (Annual salary: $29,250 to $65,000)

About 55% of all Canadians wear glasses. With the combination of people spending more time in front of computers and an aging population, it’s no surprise that opticians had one of the most in demand jobs for 2019 and make the list for 2020 too. Neuvoo says that the average pay for an optician in Canada is $44,850 a year.

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Psychologist (Annual salary: $59,860 to $132,500)

Psychologists aren’t necessarily people who sit and listen to you talk about your problems and then ask you how you feel about it. They can work in many different fields, from sports to law enforcement. While it’s one of those jobs that pay shockingly less than you think, the average annual salary for a psychologist in Canada is still a decent $92,367, according to Neuvoo.

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Physician (Annual salary: $20,000 to $331,500)

Even though physicians in Canada are among the best paid in the world, the country still sees a shortage of doctors. How much you’ll earn as a physician will depend on factors like whether you’re a general practitioner or a specialist and whether you’re in private practice or not. Still, it can easily be one of those jobs that pay over $300k. Neuvoo says that the average salary for a physician in Canada is $195,000.

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Dentist (Annual salary: $61,000 to $208,000)

Dentists, like physicians, see wildly varying salaries depending on factors like where they have their practice and whether or not this is a private practice. They have one of the very best jobs for wage growth, though. According to Payscale.com, the average pay for a dentist in Canada is $110,559 a year.

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Aerospace Engineer (Annual salary: $51,000 to $123,350)

Aerospace engineering was one of the Government of Canada jobs in demand for 2019 and is set to remain in demand in the private sector too. After all, it’s not just the Canadian Armed Forces and NASA who need experts to help design and build aircraft and spacecraft. Neuvoo says that the average annual salary for an aerospace engineer in Canada is $89,700.

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Engineering Technologist ($34,764 to $85,000)

As those engineering jobs that were once among the highest paying to disappear, you may want to rethink the kind of job you’d like in this field. The demand for most kinds of engineers in Canada has stabilized but there is a shortage of engineering technologists and technicians, who have a more practical approach to engineering. According to Neuvoo, the average annual pay for an engineering technologist in Canada is $61,526.

Statistician's desk with papers and laptop

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Statistician (Annual salary: $56,478 to $116,995)

If you have a head for numbers and like interpreting what those numbers mean, you may want to consider a career as a statistician. It’s one of the highest paying jobs for Generation Z and according to Neuvoo, the average salary for a statistician in Canada is $68,820 a year.

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Information Systems Analyst (Annual salary: $43,500 to $100,000)

These days, it’s just about impossible for a business to operate without the work of an information systems analyst. After all, this is the person who comes up with the perfect IT solution for the company’s needs. According to Neuvoo, the average pay for an information systems analyst is $75,933.

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Software Engineer (Annual salary: $45,000 to $156,757)

In Canada, there are very strict regulations about who exactly may call themselves software engineers. You can’t call yourself one simply because you have a degree in computer science. A software engineer uses an engineering approach to developing software. It’s one of the highest paying jobs in Canada for newcomers and pays an average of $92,216 a year, according to Neuvoo.

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Graphic Designer (Annual salary: $27,320 to $77,922)

Graphic design is still one of the visual art forms of the future and one that actually pays the rent too. Large companies have full-time graphic designers on their staff but because you can easily do the work as a freelancer, it’s one of the best jobs for introverts. Neuvoo says that the average pay for a graphic designer in Canada is $45,836 a year.

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Interior Designer (Annual salary: $27,836 to $85,000)

Considering how important the design and layout of an interior space is to a company’s image and to the wellbeing of everyone who uses that space, it may be a bit of a surprise that Canada doesn’t have enough interior designers. According to Nuevoo, the average interior designer in Canada earns $50,000 a year.

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Truck Driver (Annual salary: $30,225 to $75,000)

Good in demand jobs in Canada are not only for university graduates. Every time you buy something from the store or order something online, you have a transport truck driver to thank for getting the product to you. It’s one of the highest paying jobs that don’t involve sitting at a desk, with an average annual salary of $44,561, according to Neuvoo.