Job prospects Tractor Operator - Farm in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "tractor operator - farm" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators (NOC 84120) in Ontario for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment is expected to remain relatively stable.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• Most work on farms

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Population growth will support job prospects in this occupation
• Demand for local and organic produce, non-traditional crops, and growing export markets
• Agricultural industry can be sensitive to factors such as weather and global trade and prices

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

• Formal education is usually not required and employers often provide on-the-job training

What Other Information Will I Find Helpful?

• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators is one of the key temporary foreign agricultural worker occupational groups that support activities in primary agriculture
• Most farms are located in southern Ontario.

Here are some key facts about Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators in Ontario:

• Approximately 5,550 people work in this occupation.
• Specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Agriculture (NAICS 111, 112, 1151, 1152): 73%
  • Arts, entertainment and recreation (NAICS 71): 9%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 75% compared to 81% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 25% compared to 19% for all occupations
• 63% of specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators work all year, while 37% 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 42 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• 16% of specialized livestock workers and farm machinery operators are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 71% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 28% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 33% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 36% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 7% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 15% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 7% 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

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "tractor operator - farm" in Ontario or across Canada.

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