StatCan hiring 32,000 workers for Census 2026

Statistics Canada is recruiting approximately 32,000 workers across the country to support the 2026 Census of Population and the 2026 Census of Agriculture, as national data collection officially gets under way.

The large‑scale hiring push will staff field operations that follow up with households and farm operators who do not respond online.

StatCan says households and farm businesses “will be receiving their census invitation letters in the mail with instructions on how to complete their questionnaires.” Each letter includes “a unique 16‑digit secure access code that allows respondents to access and complete their census questionnaires online at census.gc.ca,” and “the process is easy and secure,” according to the organisation.

The campaign creates thousands of short‑term roles across urban, suburban and rural communities.

Roles, requirements and working conditions

StatCan is hiring mainly enumerators and crew leaders. Enumerators’ primary responsibility is “to collect completed census questionnaires from households,” going door to door and collecting data from respondents in person. They must be available to work at least 20 hours per week on average, “with the majority of the work completed in the evenings and on weekends.”

Enumerators are paid $25.87 per hour and can claim authorised expenses such as mileage and parking. Their employment period runs from May 2026 to July 2026, depending on position and location. This structure highlights how public employers are pricing and scheduling casual, part‑time field roles, a useful reference point for HR teams competing for similar talent.

Crew leaders supervise field staff. StatCan says “the primary responsibilities of crew leaders are to lead and supervise an assistant and a team of enumerators” and that they are “responsible for all activities related to the collection of completed census questionnaires in their assigned area.” They work full‑time at 40 hours per week, including days, evenings and weekends.

Crew leaders earn $31.32 per hour and can claim the same categories of authorised expenses. Their employment period runs from March 2026 to July 2026, reflecting the need for more lead time to train and coordinate field operations. For HR professionals, the differentiated pay, tenure and assessment for supervisory versus front‑line roles illustrates basic segmentation in large project staffing.

To be considered, candidates must have reached the age of majority in their province or territory, be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident or possess a valid work permit, and reside in Canada with a Canadian home address. The age of majority is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan, and 19 in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon.

“Many jobs are available for the census still. The census is a huge endeavour,” Geoff Bowlby, assistant chief statistician for StatCan, told CTV News.

Data collection, obligations and implications for employers

The Census of Population “collects demographic, social and economic information from every household in the country,” while the Census of Agriculture “collects information about every agricultural operation in Canada,” StatCan says. Together, they “paint a complete portrait of Canada’s population and agriculture sector, providing high‑quality information that helps Canadians make important decisions that affect their families, their communities and their businesses.”

StatCan notes that the information gathered “helps plan programs and services in communities across the country that support innovation, employment, transit, education, health care and more.”

According to StatCan, “a census must be conducted every five years, and every household and farm operator in Canada must participate,” under the Statistics Act. The census is conducted under that Act, “which guarantees that all information provided is kept strictly confidential,” and the agency says it “attaches the highest importance to protecting the confidentiality of the information it collects.”

Here’s how many workers StatCan hired for the past five censuses: