Labour Market Insights
Growing Trends in Health & Food Services: Top Occupations and In-Demand Jobs for Windsor-Essex for April 2025
Windsor-Essex’s labour market demonstrated notable developments in April 2025, reflecting both the region’s resilience and its adaptive strategies in response to evolving economic conditions. Several sectors, including Healthcare and Social Assistance and Accommodation and Food Services, played a role in job creation this month. For April 2025, we’re taking a look at some of the most in-demand and searched-for occupations in the region, as well as highlighting some emerging career options for jobseekers.
In April, there were 4,134 total active job postings from 1,416 companies for an increase of 17% in total active job postings from the previous month. The number of new job postings increased by 37% from March, with 3,075 new jobs posted in April. The Job Board received 25,864 job post clicks, down 6% from the previous month.
While job postings in Windsor-Essex continue to rebound this month, just like the previous month, the number of total active job postings are still down from the same month last year. Job postings are down 21.2% from 5,248 in April 2024. The continued growth in total active job postings for the region is a positive sign, however, due to the ongoing impact and uncertainty of U.S. tariffs, this trend may reverse.
The top 15 searched-for occupations overall in Windsor-Essex for April 2025 on the Job Board were:
| Ranking | Searched Overall in April 2025 | Number of Search Instances (April 2025) | Net Change from March 2025 | % Change from March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers | 1,468 | +36 | +2.5% |
| 2 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 867 | -29 | -3.2% |
| 3 | Material Handlers | 836 | -38 | -4.4% |
| 4 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 779 | +3 | +0.4% |
| 5 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 751 | +307 | +69.1% |
| 6 | Administrative Assistants | 746 | -307 | -35.0% |
| 7 | Other Labourers in Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities | 679 | +120 | +24.5% |
| 8 | Cashiers | 569 | +259 | +83.6% |
| 9 | Medical Administrative Assistants | 534 | +160 | +42.8% |
| 10 | Construction Trades Helpers and Labourers | 481 | -102 | -17.5% |
| 11 | Delivery Service Drivers and Door-to-Door Distributors | 456 | -93 | -16.9% |
| 12 | Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations | 430 | -57 | -11.7% |
| 13 | Light Duty Cleaners | 399 | +36 | +9.9% |
| 14 | Receptionists | 386 | +30 | +8.4% |
| 15 | Administrative Officers | 344 | -94 | -21.5% |
These numbers are specific to the Job Board. To learn more about the occupations listed in these tables, visit the Career Library.
Occupations that saw a significant increase in interactions on the Job Board in April as compared to March include Cashiers (up 83.6%); Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers (up 69.1%); Medical Administrative Assistants (up 42.8%); Other Labourers in Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities (up 24.5%); and Light Duty Cleaners (up 9.9%).
Occupations that saw a significant decrease in interactions on the Job Board in April as compared to March include Administrative Assistants (down 35.0%); Administrative Officers (down 21.5%); Construction Trades Helpers and Labourers (down 17.5%); Delivery Service Drivers and Door-to-Door Distributors (down 16.9%); and Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations (down 11.7%).
The top 20 in-demand occupations by local employers for April 2025 were:
| Ranking | In-Demand Occupation for April 2025 | Posting Count (April 2025) | Net Change from March 2025 | % Change from March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers | 176 | +53 | +43.1% |
| 2 | Transport Truck Drivers | 142 | -8 | -5.3% |
| 3 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 117 | +30 | +34.5% |
| 4 | Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations | 114 | +33 | +40.7% |
| 5 | Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses | 96 | +29 | +43.4% |
| 6 | Cooks | 88 | +11 | +14.3% |
| 7 | Licensed Practical Nurses | 84 | +27 | +47.4% |
| 8 | Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers | 77 | +26 | +51.0% |
| 9 | Electrical and Electronics Engineers | 75 | +22 | +41.5% |
| 10 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 65 | +11 | +20.4% |
| 11 | Mechanical Engineers | 63 | +1 | +1.6% |
| 12 | Material Handlers | 55 | +5 | +10.0% |
| 13 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 52 | +3 | +6.1% |
| 14 | Food Service Supervisors | 50 | +12 | +31.6% |
| 15 | Administrative Assistants | 49 | -11 | -18.3% |
| 16 | Retail Sales Supervisors | 49 | +17 | +51.1% |
| 17 | Human Resources Professionals | 45 | +17 | +60.7% |
| 18 | Restaurant and Food Service Managers | 45 | +6 | +15.4% |
| 19 | Construction Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics | 44 | +2 | +4.8% |
| 20 | Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics and Mechanical Repariers | 44 | +5 | +12.8% |
Occupations that saw an increase in total active job postings in April as compared to March include Human Resources Professionals (up 60.7%), Retail Sales Supervisors (up 51.1%), Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers (up 51.0%), Licensed Practical Nurses (up 47.4%), and Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (up 43.4%).
Occupations that saw a decrease in total active job postings in April as compared to March include Administrative Assistants (down 18.3%) and Transport Truck Drivers (down 5.3%).
In comparing the most searched-for and most in-demand jobs lists for the region in April, Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers and Other Customer and Information Services Representatives both saw increases in both searches and demand.
One occupation that saw a large jump in demand this month, and one that typically does not appear on the top 20 in-demand occupations list for the region on a regular basis, is Human Resources Professionals.
Human Resources Professionals develop, implement, and evaluate human resources and labour relations policies, programs, and procedures and advise employers and employees on human resources matters. They are employed throughout the public and private sectors, or they may be self-employed. Regional employers of Human Resources Professionals include The Corporation of the City of Windsor, Hiram Walker & Sons, Green Shield Canada, Ground Effects Ltd., and AAR Aircraft Services Windsor ULC.
Hiring by 2-Digit NAICS:
| Ranking | NAICS Code | 2-Digit NAICS Label | Posting Count (April 2025) | Net Change from March 2025 | % Change from March 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 62 | Healthcare and Social Assistance | 705 | +118 | +20.1% |
| 2. | 56 | Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services | 680 | +91 | +15.5% |
| 3. | 44-46 | Retail Trade | 605 | +176 | +41.0% |
| 4. | 31-33 | Manufacturing | 558 | +83 | +17.5% |
| 5. | 54 | Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 400 | +104 | +35.1% |
| 6. | 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | 346 | +57 | +19.7% |
| 7. | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | 276 | -43 | -13.5% |
| 8. | 81 | Other Services (Except Public Administration) | 275 | +63 | +29.7% |
| 9. | 91 | Public Administration | 169 | +1 | +0.6% |
| 10. | 23 | Construction | 165 | +32 | +24.1% |
| 11. | 52 | Finance and Insurance | 161 | +43 | +36.4% |
| 12. | 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 151 | +1 | +0.7% |
| 13. | 41 | Wholesale Trade | 117 | +29 | +33.0% |
| 14. | 61 | Educational Services | 106 | +36 | +51.4% |
| 15. | 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 81 | -3 | -3.6% |
| 16. | 71 | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 65 | -12 | -15.6% |
| 17. | 51 | Information and Cultural Industries | 28 | +15 | +115.4% |
| 18. | 22 | Utilities | 16 | +1 | +6.7% |
| 19. | 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 8 | +6 | +300.0% |
In terms of the top hiring sectors, we can see here that the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector had the most total active job postings in Windsor-Essex for the month of April. In fact, the sector saw a 20.1% increase in total active job posts from the previous month. This would explain the increases in job posts for Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses; Licensed Practical Nurses; and Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations as previously noted.
The Accommodation and Food Services also saw a bump in postings for April as compared to March. This would help account for the increase in demand regionally for Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations; Cooks; Food Service Supervisors; and Restaurant and Food Service Managers.
Top Growing Sectors and Occupations
This month, two sectors were identified as growing sectors using the past 12 months of data: Transportation and Warehousing and Accommodation and Food Services:
If you’re unsure about a career choice, looking at these sectors could provide sustained career opportunities.
The Transportation and Warehousing sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in transporting passengers and goods, warehousing and storing goods, and providing services to these establishments. The modes of transportation are road (trucking, transit, and ground passenger), rail, water, air, and pipeline. These are further subdivided according to the way in which businesses in each mode organize their establishments. National post office and courier establishments, which also transport goods, are included in this sector. Warehousing and storage establishments are subdivided according to the type of service and facility that is operated. Many of the establishments in this sector are structured as networks, with activities, workers, and physical facilities distributed over an extensive geographic area. Regional employers in the Transportation and Warehousing sector include AAR Aircraft Services Windsor ULC, Russell A. Farrow Limited, Fleetway Transport Inc., First Student, and Euro Link Logistics.
The Accommodation and Food Services sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing short-term lodging and complementary services to travelers, vacationers, and others, in facilities such as hotels, motor hotels, resorts, motels, casino hotels, bed and breakfast accommodations, housekeeping cottages and cabins, recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds, hunting and fishing camps, and various types of recreational and adventure camps. This sector also comprises establishments primarily engaged in preparing meals, snacks, and beverages, to customer orders, for immediate consumption on and off the premises. Regional employers in the Accommodation and Food Services sector include McDonald’s, Caesars Windsor, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and Red Lobster.
Meanwhile, the Top Growing Occupations highlights the increased demand in the region in the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector, even if that sector did not appear in the growing sectors list this month. We can see here the sustained and growing demand for Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses and Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations.
The Healthcare and Social Assistance sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing health care by diagnosis and treatment, providing residential care for medical and social reasons, and providing social assistance, such as counselling, welfare, child protection, community housing and food services, vocational rehabilitation, and child care, to those requiring such assistance. Regional employers for the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector include Windsor Regional Hospital, AgeCare Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence, Extendicare, and Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.
Top Hiring Employers:
Looking at the companies posting jobs in Windsor-Essex, the below table shows the top 10 hiring companies in the region.
| Ranking | Company | Number of Postings (April 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Windsor Regional Hospital | 60 |
| 2 | Corporation of the City of Windsor | 59 |
| 3. | RhynoCare | 49 |
| 4. | Extendicare | 38 |
| 5. | AgeCare Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence | 37 |
| 6. | Mastronardi Produce Limited | 36 |
| 7. | Stellantis (Chrysler) Windsor | 36 |
| 8. | Plasman | 32 |
| 9. | McDonald's Corporation | 30 |
| 10. | Starbucks | 29 |
From the above list, we can certainly see where many of the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector jobs were posted from, namely Windsor Regional Hospital, RhynoCare, Extendicare, and AgeCare Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence. We also see where some of the Accommodation and Food Services sector positions were from with McDonald’s Corporation and Starbucks both appearing on this list. The list of Top Hiring Employers is a great start for those looking for career opportunities in the listed emerging sectors.
THE FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT WERE SOURCED FROM:
MONTHLY JOB DEMAND REPORT
Since 2019, the monthly Job Demand Report for Windsor-Essex has been created by Workforce WindsorEssex using data collected from unique national, provincial, and locally-significant job boards.
MONTHLY JOB SEARCH REPORT
The monthly Job Search Report for Windsor-Essex is created by Workforce WindsorEssex using data collected from four job finding tools, including WEexplore, WEmap jobs, WEjobs board, and the Bridge Timeline Tool. Gender and age information of users is voluntarily shared with the organization.
Questions? Please contact: info@workforcewindsoressex.com.
