The mining labour gap is closing, but not because the problem is solved – CanadianManufacturing.com
June 16, 2015
MiHR report warns of labour shortages as economy recovers
OTTAWA— The recent downturn in the mining industry has taken pressure off the immediate hiring requirements for the sector, but a new Mining Industry Human Resources Council report reveals several indicators that point to what can only be termed as a malfunctioning labour market.
The report outlines that the mining labour market is much tighter than for other sectors; for every job vacancy in mining, there are less than three potential job-seekers across Canada, compared to the average of six job-seekers per vacancy for all other industries. This is one of several labour market indicators that point to the mining labour market inefficiencies.
“A tight labour market puts upward pressure on wages and salaries, as employers compete for a limited supply of skilled workers,” MiHR executive director Ryan Montpellier said. “Earnings in the mining sector have increased nearly 40 per cent in the last decade – significantly more than the average for all sectors in Canada. Layered on to this is mining’s volatile business cycle and the challenges of recruiting people to rural or remote mining operations.
