Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS)
Search for Occupational Projection Summaries (2022-2031)
The 2022 COPS exercise was developed using the 2016 version of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The 2016 NOC has 500 occupations. However, many of these occupations are small in terms of employment. Such occupations were combined into broader groupings according to the specific tasks of each occupation. By grouping small occupations with similar tasks together, 293 occupational groupings were obtained. Although NOC already has a more recent version (2021), the model’s input data were only available in the 2016 version of the NOC at the time of the development of the projections.
For more information on the 293 occupational grouping used in COPS, please visit the COPS Occupational Groupings' Definition.
Search Result : Dental assistants (3411)
- Occupational Outlook
- BALANCE: Labour demand and labour supply are expected to be broadly in line for this occupation group over the 2022-2031 period at the national level. The section below contains more detailed information regarding the outlook for this occupational group.
- Occupations in this Group
-
- Dental assistants (3411)
- Skill Type
- Health occupations
- Skill Level
- Occupations usually require secondary school and/or occupation-specific training.
- Employment in 2021
- 37,300
- Median Age of workers in 2021
- 39.5 years old
- Estimated Median Age of Retirement in 2021
- 64 years old
In order to determine the expected outlook of an occupation, the magnitude of the difference between the projected total numbers of new job seekers and job openings over the whole projection period (2022-2031) is analyzed in conjunction with an assessment of labour market conditions in recent years. The intention is to determine if recent labour market conditions (surplus, balance or shortage) are expected to persist or change over the period 2022-2031. For instance, if the analysis of key labour market indicators suggests that the number of job seekers was insufficient to fill the job openings (a shortage of workers) in an occupational group in recent years, the projections are used to assess if this situation will continue over the projection period or if the occupation will move towards balanced conditions. It is important to note that COPS does not identify imbalances that may temporarily appear during specific years, unless they will persist over the longer run.
The analysis of key labour market indicators such as job vacancies and employment growth as well as the unemployment rate suggests that the supply was sufficient to fill the demand in this occupational group over the 2019-2021 period
Over the period 2022-2031, the number of job openings (arising from expansion demand and replacement demand) for Dental assistants are expected to total 14,200, while the number of job seekers (arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility) is expected to total 17,000.
As job openings and job seekers are projected to be at relatively similar levels over the 2022-2031 period, the balance between labour supply and demand seen in recent years is expected to continue over the projection period.
Projection of Cumulative Job Openings and Job Seekers over the Period of 2022-2031
| Level | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Expansion Demand: | 7,800 | 55% |
| Retirements: | 4,600 | 32% |
| Other Replacement Demand: | 900 | 6% |
| Emigration: | 900 | 6% |
| Projected Job Openings: | 14,200 | 100% |
| Level | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| School Leavers: | 15,800 | 93% |
| Immigration: | 3,200 | 19% |
| Other: | -2,000 | -12% |
| Projected Job Seekers: | 17,000 | 100% |