Indeed ranks occupations based on above‑average pay, immediate demand, wage growth, hiring momentum and remote work flexibility
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping parts of Canada’s labour market, but the strongest job growth in 2026 is still concentrated in health care and education, according to new data from Indeed.
The job site’s latest ranking of the Best Jobs in Canada puts psychologist as the top role for 2026, followed by professor in second place and psychotherapist in third.
The list is based on thousands of job postings and highlights occupations where employers are hiring at scale, wages are above the national median, and demand has risen over the past three years.
Indeed’s economists assessed occupations using five criteria: above‑average pay, immediate demand, wage growth since 2022, hiring momentum and the share of postings that allow remote work. Only jobs with advertised median annual salaries of at least $67,400 were considered — a threshold set above the current national median wage for full‑time, full‑year workers.
Mixed signals for labour market
The findings come as Canada’s labour market shows mixed signals.
“The Canadian labour market held steady amid an otherwise tumultuous economic environment over the past year,” says Indeed senior economist Brendon Bernard. “Overall, conditions for job seekers were tepid amid soft employer demand for workers. However, job growth at the industry level has been mixed: payrolls in certain sectors, including trade‑exposed manufacturing, are down from a year earlier, while health care and social assistance continued its multi‑year upward trend.”
Canada’s private sector is heading into 2026 with a persistently tight labour market and modest economic growth, according to a quarterly survey from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
Health care dominates 2026 ranking
Health care roles account for the majority of the 2026 Best Jobs list, underscoring sustained recruitment pressure across the sector, according to Indeed.
Psychologists top the ranking with a median advertised salary of $232,284, while psychotherapists in third place earn a median of $190,444. The prominence of mental health professions reflects growing use of psychological services as more Canadians seek support and stigma continues to ease.
Traditional medical roles also feature heavily. Family medicine physicians, ranked ninth, record the highest median salary on the list at $347,467. Associate dentists (fourth) earn $229,930, while general dentists post median pay of just over $200,000. Nurse practitioners, travel nurses, physicians and pharmacy managers round out a cluster of clinical roles that Indeed identifies as both well‑paid and in sustained demand.
Allied health and wellness positions are also well represented. Physiotherapists, massage therapists, chiropractors and acupuncturists all qualify among the best jobs, supported by relatively high posting volumes. Their inclusion points to ongoing demand for preventative care, rehabilitation and wellness services alongside acute medical treatment.
Remote work pulls back as in‑person roles surge
Despite the widespread adoption of remote work earlier in the decade, Indeed’s analysis shows that remote or hybrid options among Canada’s best jobs remain limited.
Most health care positions on the list, particularly front‑line clinical roles, offer little or no remote flexibility because of the in‑person nature of the work. Even where remote or hybrid arrangements are possible, the share of postings advertising such options is modest compared with pandemic‑era levels.
This shift is occurring alongside a more difficult environment for many white‑collar job seekers.
“[The job search has] changed so much compared to four years ago, when I could still get a phone or video screening from one online application out of 15 applications,” says one HR and people operations professional, who requested anonymity in the Indeed report. “But now that likelihood feels lower.”
AI specializations
AI is also beginning to influence where high‑paying opportunities appear, although its impact is uneven across roles.
Machine learning engineer ranks 11th on Indeed’s Best Jobs list, with a median advertised salary of $140,299 and one of the higher shares of remote‑eligible postings among the top occupations. The position reflects demand for specialists who can design, maintain and work directly with AI systems, rather than compete with them.
Employers across major economies are increasingly misaligned with their own workforces on AI and soft skills, as workers accelerate their upskilling efforts while hiring practices remain focused on immediate needs, according to a previous study.
By contrast, occupations heavily exposed to large language models and automation — such as parts of software development, marketing, content creation and some accounting functions — experienced their largest declines in postings around the six months before and after the public launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, according to Indeed’s research. Demand for many of these roles has remained at relatively low levels from 2024 through 2025.
Education appears as another area of stable demand in the 2026 ranking, though pay levels vary widely.
Elementary school teacher, with a median salary of $84,768, takes the final spot on the list, signalling that hiring for front‑line teaching roles remains robust despite budget pressures. Professor ranks second overall, with a median advertised salary of $231,310, pointing to continued competition for academic talent, particularly in disciplines where universities compete directly with private‑sector employers.
