TL;DR
Canada's ATS job posting volumes in the week of 21-28 Sep 2026 are approximately +17% above their mid-June 2026 baseline - while the UK is -30.5%, Germany -17.5%, and France -6.0% below theirs. Canada and Ireland (+17.1%) are the two tracked markets consistently holding above their June baselines. Statistics Canada's August 2026 Labour Force Survey corroborates the ATS trend: +75,000 net new jobs and 6.4% unemployment, a two-year low.
MORT's ATS feed tracks job listings posted directly on company career sites across 10 countries. The week of 21-28 Sep 2026 is the 18th consecutive weekly read, giving enough data to see which markets are structurally above or below their June 2026 baselines - and which have recovered, stalled, or continued to diverge.
The divergence at the top is Canada. Not the US (which is +13.3% above baseline, but has been the consistent story for months), and not Ireland (which is +17.1% above baseline but a much smaller market). Canada is the standout this week: consistently above its June baseline, corroborated by official Statistics Canada data, and this is the first time across 18 tracking runs that Canada has been the central angle.
Canada vs the tracked markets: the 10-country picture
The table below shows every tracked market's week of 21-28 Sep 2026 listing count against its mid-June 2026 baseline. All figures are from MORT's full ATS feed (not a sample), which means they reflect the actual count of listings posted to company career sites via tracked ATS platforms.
| Country | W40 (21-28 Sep 2026) | W26 baseline (Jun 2026) | vs baseline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 3,983 | ~3,404* | +17.0% above |
| Ireland | 748 | 639 | +17.1% above |
| United States | 52,116 | 45,986 | +13.3% above |
| India | 3,071 | ~2,978 | +3.1% above |
| Netherlands | 2,027 | 2,061 | -1.7% |
| Spain | 1,304 | ~1,383 | -5.7% |
| France | 3,849 | 4,092 | -6.0% |
| Australia | 1,475 | ~1,534 | -3.9% |
| Germany | 4,001 | 4,849 | -17.5% |
| United Kingdom | 7,095 | 10,207 | -30.5% |
Full-feed counts from MORT's ATS platform data, 7-day window 21-28 Sep 2026. * Canada's W26 baseline (~3,404) is approximate, computed from run 1 data; all Canada vs-baseline figures carry this approximation. India, Australia, and Spain baselines are also approximate.
Four of ten markets are above their June baselines: Canada, Ireland, the US, and India. Six are below. The UK is the largest underperformer at -30.5%, followed by Germany at -17.5%. France fell back below its baseline this week (-6.0%) after briefly crossing above it in W39, for just one week.
Canada's trajectory: the 18-week picture
Canada has not been consistently strong all year. It dipped below baseline in July due to holiday effects and had a weak August. The picture across confirmed tracking data is:
| Week | Canada listings | vs baseline (~3,404) |
|---|---|---|
| W26 (17-24 Jun) - baseline | ~3,404 | - |
| W28 (29 Jun-6 Jul) - Canada Day effect | ~3,100 | -8.9% approx |
| W29 (6-13 Jul) | 3,437 | +1.0% approx |
| W35 (17-24 Aug) | 2,979 | -12.5% approx |
| W38 (7-14 Sep) | 2,979 | -12.5% approx |
| W39 (14-21 Sep) | 4,185 | +22.9% - surge |
| W40 (21-28 Sep) | 3,983 | +17.0% - holds above |
W26, W28, W35, W38 figures are approximate (from available run data). W39 and W40 are confirmed full-feed counts. Canada Day (July 1) explains the W28 dip, which mirrors the July 4 effect seen in the US.
The W39-W40 sequence is the most important signal. Canada surged to 4,185 at the start of the fall hiring season, then held at 3,983 the following week. Two consecutive above-baseline weeks after a summer soft patch is a meaningful reading, especially when corroborated by external data.
What Statistics Canada's August 2026 Labour Force Survey shows
ATS posting volumes are a leading indicator - they measure employer intent to hire. To see whether that intent is translating into actual employment, the closest available corroboration is Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey for August 2026 (released September 4, 2026).
The August 2026 LFS showed:
- +75,000 net new jobs added in August 2026
- 6.4% unemployment rate - a two-year low
- 60.8% employment rate
The direction aligns with what MORT's ATS feed is showing: an employer market actively posting and hiring. The ATS data captures intent before hires occur; the LFS measures the hires. When both point the same direction in the same period, the signal is more reliable than either alone.
What sectors and roles are driving Canadian hiring
The W40 ATS sample is heavily contaminated by Reliablesfc (94 per 1,000 jobs, an unknown field-services entity) and hospitality companies, which makes role-category figures from this week's sample unreliable. The sector picture comes instead from external hiring outlook reports.
Adecco Canada's 2026 Hiring Outlook found that 64% of HR leaders plan to increase permanent headcount in H2 2026, with finance, technology, and AI/data roles showing the highest Q3 2026 demand. Separately, IQ Partners' Q3 2026 Canadian Hiring Trends identified finance/accounting, HR, technology, AI/data, and administrative support as the highest-demand role categories.
The technology and AI/data overlap across both sources is notable. Canada has a concentrated tech sector in Toronto and Vancouver, and the ATS data for those two consecutive weeks is consistent with those markets staying active into the fall.
How long will this outperformance last?
The honest answer is that it will moderate. TD Economics' Q3 2026 forecast projects Canadian job growth will slow from roughly 300,000/year (2025) to 75,000-100,000/year in 2026-2027, as the market transitions from shortage to balanced. That is still positive growth - just at a slower pace than the prior two years.
The W40 ATS reading (+17.0% above baseline) is at the stronger end of what we have seen from Canada across 18 weeks. A reading above +15% is not guaranteed to hold through Q4 2026. But the September 2026 data - both ATS and LFS - shows Canada's labour market entering the fall hiring season from a position of relative strength compared to the UK, Germany, and France.
What this means if you are job seeking in Canada
The data supports acting now rather than waiting for a better window. The September-October period is typically the strongest hiring window of the year, and Canada is entering it above its June baseline - the opposite of the UK or Germany, where a seasonal tailwind is working against a structural shortfall.
The highest-demand areas by sector are finance, technology, AI/data, and HR. If you are in one of those fields and considering a move, the ATS data and the Adecco outlook both suggest Q3-Q4 2026 is a reasonable time to be active. The key is applying to the right roles for your background - the absolute volume is healthy, but competition for strong matches is real.
Frequently asked questions
Is Canada's job market doing well in 2026?
Yes. Canada's ATS-tracked job posting volumes in the week of 21-28 Sep 2026 are approximately +17% above their mid-June 2026 baseline - one of the best readings across ten tracked markets. Statistics Canada's August 2026 LFS corroborates the trend: +75,000 net new jobs and 6.4% unemployment (a two-year low).
How does Canada's job market compare to the UK and Germany in 2026?
Substantially better. In the week of 21-28 Sep 2026, Canada's ATS listings are approximately +17% above their June 2026 baseline, while UK listings are -30.5% below baseline, Germany is -17.5% below, and France is -6.0% below. Canada and Ireland (+17.1%) are the only two of ten tracked markets consistently holding above their June baselines.
What sectors are hiring most in Canada in 2026?
Finance/accounting, technology, AI/data, HR, and administrative support are among the highest-demand roles in Canada in Q3 2026, according to IQ Partners' Q3 2026 Canadian Hiring Trends report. Adecco's 2026 Canadian Hiring Outlook found 64% of HR leaders plan to increase permanent headcount in H2 2026, with technology and AI/data roles showing the highest demand.
Will Canada's job market stay strong through the rest of 2026?
TD Economics projects Canadian job growth will slow from roughly 300,000/year (2025) to 75,000-100,000/year in 2026-2027 as the market transitions from shortage to balanced. The ATS data for W39-W40 (September 2026) remains above baseline, but the pace of growth is expected to moderate.
Apply to the right Canadian roles, tailored, faster
MORT is an AI job-matching platform for people who want to apply to more relevant jobs in less time. It scans thousands of company career pages, scores every job 0-100% for compatibility with your skills and experience, and generates a tailored resume for each application.
Sources
- MORT Job Market Data, week of 21-28 Sep 2026 (MORT ATS feed,
scripts/market-report-fetch.mjs) - proprietary data - Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, August 2026 (released 4 Sep 2026) - +75,000 net new jobs; 6.4% unemployment rate (2-year low); 60.8% employment rate: statcan.gc.ca
- Adecco Canada, "2026 Canadian Hiring Outlook" - 64% of HR leaders plan to increase permanent headcount H2 2026; technology and AI/data showing highest Q3 demand: adecco.com/en-ca
- TD Economics, "Canadian Employment Outlook, Q3 2026" - job growth expected to slow to 75,000-100,000/year in 2026-2027; market transitioning from shortage to balanced: economics.td.com
- IQ Partners, "Q3 2026 Canadian Hiring Trends" - finance/accounting, HR, technology, AI/data, and administrative support among highest-demand roles: iqpartners.com