Canada’s job vacancy rate stayed at a record high of 3.2 percent for the fourth quarter in a row.

429,000 private sector jobs - which is 23,000 more than 2018’s high - went unfilled for at least four months in 2019.

In Manitoba, the private sector job vacancy rate rose to 2.6 percent equalling 11,500 unfilled jobs, the fifth-highest percentage in the country.

Quebec and BC have the highest vacancy rates at 3.9 percent and Alberta has the lowest vacancy rate at 1.9 percent.

Employers with at least one vacancy are expected to push average wage levels up by 2.3 percent versus 1.5 percent by businesses without any openings.

The biggest shortages are in the personal services industry (mechanics, lawyers, landscapers, and funeral and daycare services) with a vacancy rate of 4.9 percent. With the information sector (banking, insurance, and computer programming) having the lowest rate at 2.1 percent.