Job prospects Animal Care Technician in Nova Scotia

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as an "animal care technician" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nova Scotia

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (NOC 32104) in Nova Scotia for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

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

There are some positive, long-term factors that suggest employment growth for this occupation. These include a greater awareness of advanced care options on the part of pet owners, better technological and medical solutions, a general willingness to spend more on animal care, and an increase in pet ownership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vacancies in the occupation may come about more from the general mobility of a younger workforce than from retirements. There is some indication employers in the province are having difficulty finding experienced workers, rarely seeing applicants with more than a year's worth of experience, as they compete with other provinces for qualified technicians.

Here are some key facts about Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians in Nova Scotia:

• Approximately 900 people work in this occupation.
• Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): more than 95%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 83% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 17% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 61% of animal health technologists and veterinary technicians work all year, while 39% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 42 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of animal health technologists and veterinary technicians are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 7% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 93% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 13% compared to 27% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 10% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 55% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 18% compared to 20% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Nova Scotia 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 an "animal care technician" Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (NOC 32104) or across Canada.

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