October 2026 Labour Market Update: Job Postings & Search Activity in Durham
Durham Region recorded 6,279 active job postings in October, including 4,287 new postings. Activity on Jobs First Durham’s job search tools also increased, with 11,366 clicks on job postings during the month.
You can explore these findings through the Durham Workforce Authority’s Labour Market Insights tool, which provides access to job demand and job search reports. Use the tool to explore advertised occupations, the skills employers request and the opportunities attracting job seeker interest. These insights can help inform your job search, recruitment or workforce planning.
Recruitment activity in October
The October Job Demand Report recorded postings from 2,391 companies. Its monthly snapshot reported the following changes from the previous period:
| Measure | October 2026 | Reported monthly change |
|---|---|---|
| Active job postings | 6,279 | Up 2% |
| New job postings | 4,287 | Up 9% |
| Companies advertising | 2,391 | Up 2% |
| Average posting duration | 15.5 days | Down 11% |
Active postings include advertisements available during October, while new postings were added during the month. These figures describe online recruitment activity; they do not measure completed hires or jobs created.
The shorter average posting duration indicates that advertisements remained active for less time. It does not establish whether employers filled positions more quickly.
Most postings were for full-time and permanent work
Full-time positions accounted for 4,275 postings, approximately 68% of the October total. Another 1,820 postings were classified as part-time and 184 as casual.
By job duration, 5,207 postings were classified as permanent—approximately 83% of the total—alongside 729 contract and 343 temporary postings. Job type and job duration are separate classifications: a permanent position may be full-time or part-time.
Occupations employers advertised
Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers had the largest number of postings among occupational groups in October.
| Occupation | Job postings |
|---|---|
| Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 361 |
| Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 243 |
| Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | 226 |
| Material handlers | 206 |
| Cooks | 147 |
Communication was the most frequently identified skill, appearing in 2,958 postings. Other commonly listed skills included management in 2,655 postings, customer service in 1,834, driving in 1,206 and leadership in 1,189.
These requirements give job seekers specific areas to address in applications and interviews, using examples that reflect their experience.
Where opportunities were advertised
Among Durham Region municipalities, Oshawa recorded 1,835 postings, followed by Whitby with 1,351, Pickering with 1,020, Ajax with 1,002 and Clarington with 532.
These are municipal posting counts. The Oshawa figure refers to the municipality, not the Oshawa census metropolitan area. Posting locations also describe where opportunities were advertised, rather than where job seekers live.
Job search activity increased
The October Job Search Report recorded 11,366 job posting clicks, up 15% from the previous period. Total interactions with the tools reached 17,733, up 23%.
Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers received the most clicks among occupational groups, followed by food service support occupations and administrative assistants.
| Occupational group | Job posting clicks |
|---|---|
| Retail salespersons and visual merchandisers | 741 |
| Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 579 |
| Administrative assistants | 482 |
| Material handlers | 452 |
| Administrative officers | 432 |
Retail sales, food service support and material handling appeared among both the most advertised occupations and those receiving the most clicks. Administrative assistants and administrative officers also attracted substantial attention, although neither appeared among the five most advertised occupations.
Clicks indicate activity on the tools. They are not counts of unique job seekers, applications or hires, and cannot establish how many qualified candidates were available for a position.
Using the October findings
For job seekers, the reports identify advertised occupations and commonly requested skills that can inform a search. For employers and employment service providers, they offer a view of recruitment activity alongside the opportunities users explored.
The reports cover online job advertisements and interactions with Jobs First Durham’s tools. They do not measure Durham Region’s employment or unemployment rate. To explore those measures, check out the Labour Force Survey report.
All data in this blog was extracted from our Labour Market Insights tool, which you can explore by clicking this link.