Job prospects Food Processing Labourer in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "food processing labourer" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be moderate for Labourers in food and beverage processing (NOC 95106) in Ontario for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• Food manufacturing, particularly in meat product manufacturing and bakeries and tortilla manufacturing
• Food merchant wholesalers

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Several food and beverage manufacturers have announced expansions
• Increased investment in automation for tasks traditionally performed by labourers may temper job prospects over the long term.

Here are some key facts about Labourers in food and beverage processing in Ontario:

• Approximately 15,350 people work in this occupation.
• Labourers in food and beverage processing mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 67%
  • Wholesale trade (NAICS 41): 9%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 86% compared to 81% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 14% compared to 19% for all occupations
• 56% of labourers in food and beverage processing work all year, while 44% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 40 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of labourers in food and beverage processing are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 47% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 53% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 25% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 43% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 14% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 10% compared to 24% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "food processing labourer" in Ontario or across Canada.

Learn more