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There are multiple factors conspiring to make entry-level employment more elusive, and it’s not only having a major impact on vulnerable workers but also the very future of our labour market.
The growing use of AI and other forms of automation is certainly affecting hiring and driving up youth unemployment, but it’s not the only factor. Growing tariffs, a rising minimum wage, an aging employer community and economic uncertainty are all prompting employers to adopt a wait-and-see approach that is affecting entry-level workers.
This article was originally published on Canadian Job Development Network and has been republished with permission.
The public has a clear understanding of the value of entry-level employment. According to a recent Harris Poll survey, entry-level roles are commonly defined as a job:
- Where the employer teaches/trains you on basic work skills (56%)
- That provides a starting point to a career (56%)
- That focuses on basic tasks and responsibilities (52%)
- That requires little or no prior experience (51%)
Not all entry-level work is minimum wage and not all minimum-wage jobs are entry-level, but there is a lot of common ground.
According to Statistics Canada, about 8.8% of workers earn minimum wage. Many in the business community would have you believe the only people earning minimum wage are teenagers living at home, but this is not accurate.
Youth aged 15 to 24 make up just over half of those earning minimum wage (53%), but that leaves nearly half that are 25 and older making minimum wage. Plus, half of the individuals defined as youth aren’t teenagers and in many cases aren’t living at home.
You might be surprised to learn that a large portion of Canadian teenagers are working right now. Statistics Canada reports, depending on the year and season, roughly 40% to 45% of Canadian teenagers aged 15 to 19 are employed at any given time.
This rate reached its peak in the late 1980s at more than 59% of teens.
Even today, the vast majority of Canadians – well over 80% – will hold a job at some point during their teen years before entering the full-time adult workforce.
And while youth unemployment is getting most of the headlines, we see multiple other groups that are also struggling to find entry-level employment, including people with disabilities, recent immigrants and women.
Nearly three in 10 (28.3%) recent immigrant employees are working or seeking employment in low-wage jobs.
Among men and women, women worked in low-wage jobs 28.7% of the time compared with 18.8% among men.
No surprise to many job developers, entry-level employment is critical to a large segment of society and yet we are seeing these jobs evaporate before our eyes.
Recently, Express Employment Professionals commissioned a white paper titled, “Sounding the Alarm: The Narrowing Path to Work,” with the tagline, “Why protecting entry-level jobs matters for workforce readiness and long-term economic health.”
“Entry-level work is evolving, and employees and employers need to be aware of the rapid shift so they are not left behind. It is right to sound the alarm that we are in a world of dramatic change, but fears that entry-level work will disappear entirely are misguided. From our perspective, the challenge before us is twofold: jobseekers need to reset their expectations and employers need to remember how critical entry-level work is – both to their success and the economy’s success,”
– Bob Funk Jr., CEO, President and Chairman of the Board with Express Employment International
The challenges to entry-level employment are evident in even the most recent changes to the labour market. In February 2026, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem warned that while there may be increased demand for workers with AI skills, the “flip side is we may be seeing some early evidence that AI is reducing the number of entry-level jobs in some occupations” – a warning that reflects the level of concern around how quickly entry-level tasks could be automated.
The white paper argues entry-level work is not “gone,” but instead the definition is drifting: more roles labelled as “entry-level” increasingly require skills, experience and immediate productivity that historically were developed through entry-level employment.
More than four in five Canadian hiring decision-makers (81%) agree entry-level jobs require candidates to possess more skills than they have in the past. More than four in five Canadian jobseekers (82%) agree that entry-level jobs require candidates to possess more skills, including hard and/or soft skills, than they have in the past.
The paper states, “In today’s more competitive entry-level environment, employers are looking for more than minimum qualifications. They want candidates who can adapt, communicate and learn quickly, often on leaner teams with more tech-enabled workflows. A willingness to learn (66%), work ethic (64%), dependability (57%), communication skills (57%) and positive attitude/demeanour (56%) are among the top skills companies expect candidates to already possess when applying for an entry-level job.”
While the public may believe it’s an employer’s responsibility to train their workers, a considerable portion of employers disagree. More than two out of five hiring decision-makers (42%) say workers themselves are primarily responsible for preparation to enter the workforce, while one-quarter (23%) believe it is the responsibility of the job/company the worker is applying to.
This said, there is some mixed messaging. Nearly all companies (91%) say they train their entry-level employees for success in their current roles and future advancement, most commonly through on-the-job training by other employees (57%) and company-led training sessions (53%).
In preparing the paper, the authors consulted jobseekers to see their preference for how training should occur:
- On-the-job training from other employees (61%)
- Company-led training programs (57%)
- Mentorships (49%)
- Partnerships with third-party training providers offering courses during work hours (39%)
The paper provides insights for how jobseekers can be more successful in this job market. They say that in a more competitive entry-level market, standing out requires more than meeting minimum qualifications.
Employers are looking for candidates who demonstrate adaptability, problem solving and a willingness to learn, often through non-traditional pathways such as self-taught skills or varied work experiences.
Tips for entry-level jobseekers
- Sharpen your soft skills and know how to talk about them: Prepare examples that demonstrate adaptability, willingness to learn, accountability and teamwork.
- Build familiarity with core tools, including AI where relevant: Employers may not expect “AI experts,” but they do value comfort with technology and digital workflows.
- Start where the runway is longer: Some smaller employers or growing sectors may offer more accessible entry points and training.
- Do not inflate your resume: Be ready to demonstrate the skills you claim with examples and outcomes.
- Understand where opportunities are expanding: Target growing industries and roles where demand is resilient.
- Leverage referrals and relationships: Recommendations can open doors that online applications may not.
The authors believe entry-level employment isn’t just important for jobseekers; employers gain benefits as well. It recommends employers consider the following:
- Protect true entry-level “on-ramps”: Maintain roles that are accessible with zero to two years of experience and are designed to build work habits and confidence.
- Align job requirements with real training: If a role is labelled “entry-level,” ensure the expectations match what can be learned with structured onboarding and supervision.
- Design roles around growth, not just efficiency: When automating routine tasks, intentionally preserve the “practice reps” where early-career workers learn workflows, customer interaction and professional communication.
- Invest in managers as developers: Equip frontline supervisors to coach, give feedback and develop early-career talent – especially in lean teams.
- Use skills-based hiring responsibly: Prioritize demonstrated capability and potential over inflated credential/experience requirements that exclude first-time workers.
- Build multiple pathways into the organization: Expand internships, apprenticeships, job rotations and short-term assignments that convert into longer-term roles.
- Partner with workforce and staffing organizations: Collaborate with providers that can help candidates gain experience, validate readiness and build the foundational skills employers need.
The takeaway from this research is actually quite encouraging. “The ‘human touch’ is not going away; as automation expands, human judgment and relationship-based work increase in value,” the report explains. “Jobseekers can stand out by developing relevant soft skills, gaining practical exposure to tools, including AI, and pursuing experience through multiple on-ramps – especially short-term and varied roles.”
The challenge for us in job development is to train jobseekers to be more responsive in their approach to job search. Job search is becoming less “point-and-click” and more focused on your ability to articulate your strengths and abilities and adapt as necessary.
The future is increasingly unstructured and the more we can support individuals to think on their feet, respond to the situation and adapt as necessary, the better prepared they will be to not only get and keep the job, but succeed in an increasingly complex labour market.
