Job openings for knowledge-work occupations declined from April to September 2026. The number of applications submitted over the same period did not decline.
Applicants are therefore competing for a smaller set of active vacancies. Board activity can remain high even as the stock of open roles shrinks.
Completing an application is one of the few steps an applicant controls. Incomplete submissions add records to applicant-tracking systems without improving the chance of review.
Applicants in Canada and the United States should treat postings more than a few days old as already having received a first group of applications. Required fields and relevant tools should be completed.