Job prospects Mine Labourer in Nunavut

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "mine labourer" in Nunavut or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nunavut

The recent trends from the past 3 years were updated on July 28, 2026. The job outlooks over the next 3 years were updated on December 10, 2025.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be Limited for mine labourers (NOC 85110) in Nunavut for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

• Employment prospects for this occupation follow commodity boom-and-bust cycles.
• Uncertainty related to international trade adds volatility to international commodity markets and may lead to fast-paced boom-and-bust cycles in the territory's mining industry over the forecast period, 2025-2027.
• In 2025, Nunavut's mining industry has benefited from elevated gold and silver prices and increased investment in these commodities, which may open up new employment opportunities.
• Nunavut's metal ore mining industry has expanded rapidly since 2009. However, temporarily reduced activities at the Mary River iron ore mine in 2025, related to the Steensby railway project, limit job prospects at the start of the forecast period.
• Many employees in this occupation are fly-in fly-out workers and reside outside the territory.

Here are some key facts about mine labourers in Nunavut:

• Mine labourers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21): more than 95%
• 40% of mine labourers work all year, while 60% work only part of the year, compared to 72% and 28% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 30 weeks compared to 44 weeks for all occupations.
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 78% compared to 37% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 22% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: n/a
  • bachelor's degree: n/a
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a