Entry-Level Jobs in Canada With No Experience: 25 Roles, Wages and Hiring Data (2026)
Quick answer: In August 2026 the entry-level jobs (under one year of experience required) with the most openings on Canada's Job Bank were food counter attendants and kitchen helpers (716 postings, median $17.20 an hour), home child care providers (646, $20.85), transport truck drivers (509, $36.50), home support workers (495, $21.00) and construction trades helpers (423, $26.00). The full list of 25 roles is below, with wages and hiring volume. Match them to your own profile with the free entry-level job finder.
Data: Government of Canada Job Bank open data, August 2026. Last updated October 2026.
What Counts as an Entry-Level Job in Canada?
In this guide, an entry-level job is a job posting on Canada's Job Bank that asks for less than one year of experience. That is a measurable definition, not a guess: we counted it for every occupation. The figures come from the August 2026 Job Bank open data file, which contains 53,445 postings with an occupation code (NOC 2021).
If you would rather have the list matched to your own studies, skills and province, use the free entry-level job finder. It only recommends occupations that appear in the data below.
The 25 Entry-Level Occupations With the Most Openings (August 2026)
These are the occupations with the most Job Bank postings that required less than one year of experience. "% entry-level" is the share of that occupation's postings (among those that state experience) that accept someone with under a year. The wage is the median hourly pay among those entry-level postings that list a salary.
| Occupation | Entry-level postings | % entry-level | Median wage / hour | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations (NOC 65201) | 716 | 87% | $17.20 | No diploma |
| Home child care providers (NOC 44100) | 646 | 65% | $20.85 | High school |
| Transport truck drivers (NOC 73300) | 509 | 63% | $36.50 | High school |
| Home support workers, caregivers and related occupations (NOC 44101) | 495 | 69% | $21.00 | High school |
| Construction trades helpers and labourers (NOC 75110) | 423 | 75% | $26.00 | No diploma |
| Cooks (NOC 63200) | 370 | 28% | $19.00 | High school |
| Harvesting labourers (NOC 85101) | 359 | 94% | $17.95 | No diploma |
| Light duty cleaners (NOC 65310) | 343 | 79% | $19.00 | No diploma |
| Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers (NOC 64100) | 328 | 79% | $17.75 | High school |
| Food service supervisors (NOC 62020) | 237 | 21% | $19.00 | High school |
| Cashiers (NOC 65100) | 182 | 88% | $17.00 | High school |
| Livestock labourers (NOC 85100) | 145 | 79% | $18.25 | No diploma |
| Nursery and greenhouse labourers (NOC 85103) | 141 | 93% | $17.95 | No diploma |
| Early childhood educators and assistants (NOC 42202) | 135 | 52% | $24.00 | College diploma (1-2 yrs) |
| Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers (NOC 85121) | 120 | 81% | $20.00 | No diploma |
| Material handlers (NOC 75101) | 117 | 68% | $21.00 | No diploma |
| Retail sales supervisors (NOC 62010) | 108 | 30% | $23.00 | High school |
| Carpenters (NOC 72310) | 107 | 23% | $37.00 | High school |
| Food and beverage servers (NOC 65200) | 104 | 66% | $17.00 | No diploma |
| Restaurant and food service managers (NOC 60030) | 103 | 11% | $35.00 | High school |
| Residential and commercial installers and servicers (NOC 73200) | 102 | 54% | $28.00 | High school |
| Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers (NOC 72410) | 97 | 21% | $32.50 | High school |
| Labourers in food and beverage processing (NOC 95106) | 94 | 80% | $20.00 | No diploma |
| Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates (NOC 33102) | 91 | 60% | $23.00 | High school |
| Receptionists (NOC 14101) | 77 | 72% | $20.00 | High school |
To convert to a yearly figure, multiply the hourly wage by 2,080 hours (40 hours for 52 weeks). For example, $20.85 an hour is about $43,368 a year before tax. Use our Canada salary and take-home pay calculator to see what is left after tax.
Key Facts From the Data
- Most openings: food counter attendants and kitchen helpers (716 entry-level postings, 87% of that occupation's postings, median $17.20 an hour).
- Highest share of entry-level postings: harvesting labourers (94%), nursery and greenhouse labourers (93%), cashiers (88%) and food counter attendants (87%).
- Best-paying among the 25: carpenters ($37.00 an hour), transport truck drivers ($36.50) and restaurant and food service managers ($35.00). Only some of their postings are open to beginners: 23%, 63% and 11% respectively.
- No diploma needed: 10 of the 25 occupations list no diploma as the typical requirement.
How to Choose Where to Start
If you need income quickly
Occupations with a high entry-level share and no diploma requirement, such as food counter attendants, cashiers, light duty cleaners and material handlers, are the ones where employers most often accept first-time workers. Pay is usually in the range of $17 to $21 an hour in this data.
If you want higher pay without a degree
Look at construction trades helpers ($26.00), residential and commercial installers ($28.00) and transport truck drivers ($36.50). Some of these need specific training or a licence, so read each posting for the requirements. We break these down in our guide to the highest-paying entry-level jobs in Canada.
If you want a path into a career
Early childhood educators and assistants ($24.00, college diploma), nurse aides and patient service associates ($23.00) and home support workers ($21.00) are entry points into care and education work. Check the credential rules in your province before you apply.
What This Data Does Not Show
Job Bank is a public job board used heavily by employers hiring for service, trades, transport and care roles. Corporate and professional graduate jobs, such as analyst, engineering or marketing roles, are often posted on LinkedIn, company career pages and campus career centres instead, so they are under-represented here. Treat this list as a map of realistic starting points and wages, then search other boards for professional roles. Advertised wages are not guaranteed offers.
How to Apply When You Have No Experience
- Use a Canadian-format resume. Build one in minutes with the free Canadian resume builder. No account is needed.
- Make it readable by software. Many employers screen with an applicant tracking system. Read what an ATS is and how it works.
- Write a short cover letter. Our internship cover letter guide works for any first job.
- Search with the exact job titles. Use the titles above on Job Bank and Indeed, filtered to your city or province.
- Practise the interview. Try the free AI interview simulator and read how to prepare for an interview with no experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest entry-level job to get in Canada?
No job is guaranteed, but the data shows where employers most often accept people with under a year of experience: harvesting labourers (94% of postings), nursery and greenhouse labourers (93%), cashiers (88%) and food counter attendants (87%). Most of these list no diploma or high school as the typical requirement.
How much do entry-level jobs pay in Canada?
Among the 25 occupations with the most entry-level postings in August 2026, median advertised wages in those entry-level postings ranged from $17.00 an hour (cashiers, food and beverage servers) to $37.00 an hour (carpenters). Most fell between $17 and $26 an hour, which is roughly $35,000 to $54,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Can I get a job in Canada with no experience at all?
Yes. Job Bank postings that require less than one year of experience make up the majority of postings in many occupations, including 94% of harvesting labourer postings and 87% of food counter attendant postings in August 2026. Your resume and interview matter more than a long work history for these roles.
Where can I find entry-level jobs in Canada?
Start with Job Bank (jobbank.gc.ca) and Indeed, then add LinkedIn, company career pages and your school's career centre for professional roles. Search with the job titles in the table above, and use the free AdaptiT Pro entry-level job finder to see which of them fit your background.
What does entry-level mean on Job Bank?
Job Bank postings list the experience the employer asks for. In this guide, entry-level means a posting that asks for less than one year. Postings that do not state experience are left out of the percentage.
Sources and Method
- Government of Canada Job Bank open data (job postings), August 2026
- Job Bank – Government of Canada
- AdaptiT Pro entry-level job finder (same data, interactive)
AdaptiT Pro is an independent site and is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Statistics describe advertised job postings, not a promise of a job or a wage. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
