Realtor, firefighter among Canadians’ most desired jobs says study
Posted Jul 19, 2026 03:00:00 PM.
Last Updated Jul 19, 2026 11:42:49 AM.
A new study by system integration company Vista Projects has revealed which careers are exceedingly desirable for Canadians looking to enter the workforce in 2026. The report was compiled by examining search volumes for 100 different common occupations, analyzing for search terms such as “how to become a __________”.
The data shows one career is of significantly higher interest than any other, as realtors top the list with 2,738 monthly searches. Interest in the position unsurprisingly correlates to high-density residential markets in Canada, with Vancouver and Toronto in particular showing interest in the role. According to the report, Canadians realtors take home an annual median salary of $58,400, with the Yukon Territory in particular paying its realtors a median salary of $168,000.
Second place on the list are pharmacists, a significant amount behind realtor interest with 1,927 searches each month. Data in the study shows pharmacists in Canada take home $55.49 per hour in 2026, with Yukon Territory once again having the highest rate of any province or territory at $64.71 per hour. Quebec is close behind with an hourly wage for pharmacists of $63.00.
Doctors round out the podium in third, with 1,867 Canadians in the study’s pool searching for the position each month. The report refers to perceptions around the career of a doctor as “prestige and professional respect, strong job security, and diversity of specializations, as well as being very well paid”. The average medical doctor in Canada takes home $232,227 in annual salary, with Quebec having the highest provincial average of $435,240 in salary.
Among the rest of the top 10 in order: firefighters, veterinarians, psychiatrists, lawyers, psychologists, therapist and dental hygienists.
The rest of the top 50 in the study of most desirable jobs among Canadians / Courtesy of Vista Projects
Adam Singfield, Marketing and Communications Lead at Vista Projects, commented on the study’s results:
“What really stood out was how high realtor ranked. You might expect doctor or lawyer to top a dream jobs list, but Canadians clearly see real estate as a realistic path to strong earnings and flexibility. We were also surprised to see how many mental health roles made the top 10, with psychiatrist, psychologist, and therapist all featuring. That says something positive about how Canadians are valuing that kind of work.”
To find the study and learn more about the experts behind the study, head to Vista Projects’ website.
Methodology: Monthly average search volume data was taken from Google Keyword Planner based on searches over the last 12 months to reveal the top rankings with average monthly search volume.
