Employment Outlook

The employment outlook will be limited for Postal services representatives (64401) in Prince Edward Island for the 2022-2024 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

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

The majority of workers in this occupation are employed by Canada Post Corporation. Courier services account for a small share of the workforce. The increasing use of digital communications has had a significant negative effect on postal and courier services. Mailings of bills and bank statements, which used to represent a core component of mail volume, have fallen dramatically as nearly three-quarters of Canadians have switched to e-billing and e-banking services. In response to this decline in traditional mail volume, postal service providers like Canada Post Corporation are catering their services to e-commerce. Growth in parcel delivery fueled by the popularity of online shopping has tempered the decline in mail volume, but not enough to offset the significant decline in letter mail. Furthermore, increasing automation is also expected to affect employment in this occupation.

In processing centres, sorting is increasingly carried out by high-speed automated sorting machines, some employment opportunities will arise due to retirements. However, the occupation has low requirements for entry therefore high turnover may also lead to employment opportunities. Keyboard skills are an essential requirement for employment as almost all of these individuals work in computerized environments. Overtime and weekend work is often required and individuals may be required to lift lightweight parcels.

Here are some key facts about Postal services representatives in Prince Edward Island:

• Approximately 50 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
• Postal services representatives mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Postal service, couriers and messengers (NAICS 491, 492): 76%
  • Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 24%
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: less than 5% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: more than 95% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: n/a
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 28% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 43% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • bachelor’s degree: n/a
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a

Source: Job Bank

Prevailing Wages