Charlottetown 
Canadian workers who changed employers in October 2026 recorded twice the annual base pay growth of those who stayed in their jobs, according to the latest ADP Canada Pay Insights report. The difference was even more pronounced when bonuses and other earnings were included in gross pay.
Karolina Grabowska/Pexels
The October 2026 ADP Canada Pay Insights report, released November 5, found that workers who remained in their jobs saw their base pay rise by 3.0% compared with a year earlier. For those who switched jobs, the increase was 6.0%, twice as much.
The difference was even larger when looking at gross pay, which includes more than base wages. ADP reported increases of 4.5% for job-stayers and 10.4% for job-changers.
Which Provinces Saw the Highest Wage Growth?
Prince Edward Island recorded the strongest annual base pay growth for job-stayers at 3.8%, followed by New Brunswick at 3.3%.
Nova Scotia and Quebec each recorded increases of 3.1%. Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan all came in at 3.0%.
Yukon had the lowest reported increase at 2.5%.
How Did Different Industries Compare?
Wage growth was remarkably similar across industries, with most sectors reporting increases of around 3%.
Manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities, and professional and business services recorded slightly higher growth at 3.1%.
Construction, natural resources and mining, information, financial activities, education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and other services each recorded 3.0%.
Workers Aged 25 to 34 Had the Strongest Pay Growth
Age made a difference, although the gaps were relatively small.
Workers aged 25 to 34 recorded the highest annual base pay growth at 3.5%. Those aged 15 to 24 and 35 to 54 saw increases of 3.0%, while workers aged 55 to 85 recorded 2.8%.
Company size made no difference in the reported median increases. Businesses with 1 to 199 employees, 200 to 499 employees, and 500 or more employees all recorded 3.0% growth.
What the ADP Numbers Measure
The findings come from ADP Research’s analysis of anonymized payroll transactions covering approximately 1.6 million Canadian workers each month.
The report tracks private-sector workers over a 12-month period and examines what ADP calls the “Median Change in Annual Base Pay,” rather than comparing average salaries across different employees.
That distinction matters. The figures show how pay changed for workers who stayed in their jobs or moved to another employer, not how much those workers earned in total.
The next ADP Canada Pay Insights report, covering November, is scheduled for December 3, 2026.
