Graduates Struggle After a Year Unemployed: Job Fairs Flooded Amid Retail Shutdowns

Hundreds — sometimes thousands — of job seekers lined up for hours at the Markville Mall in Markham, not to buy the latest iPhone or console, but to find work. What seemed like a shopping crowd at 2:30 p.m. on a weekday was actually a labor queue.

Thousands waited for the chance to catch the eye of recruiters from brands like Chatime, Best Buy, and Harvey’s during a walk-in job fair — a tool employers increasingly use to filter candidates quickly.

With Canada’s unemployment hitting a decade high, applicants heavily outnumber available positions. Shawn Raj, 25, said he has been jobless for nearly a year and has submitted over 50 applications without one interview.

“Everybody here has a degree — yet even minimum wage jobs are tight. They tell me I’m overqualified,” he said. Raj graduated with a degree in criminology just nine months ago.

Retail analyst Bruce Winder told CTV Toronto that many companies have effectively hit the brakes on hiring. During the pandemic, tech firms grew rapidly and absorbed young talent — now, many tech firms are downsizing and holding onto mid-level staff, squeezing entry-level roles.

Among the queue, Telha Yousaf stood ahead, holding 15 years of HR experience, a master’s in project management, and soon a doctorate in business administration. “I’m very discouraged but still hopeful for a job,” he shared.

These hiring lines are not uncommon this year. Earlier, a Hamilton job fair went viral when the line wrapped around an entire block. The yearly CNE job fair in July also drew thousands vying for temporary roles.

For retailers, it’s a brutal year: Hudson’s Bay, Starbucks, Decathlon, and Frank & Oak have all shuttered locations, amplifying competition among job hunters.

Winder warns that with tariff uncertainty and AI reshaping the nature of work, government intervention is critical. Without it, we may see mass unemployment, social unrest, shrinking consumer demand, or even a housing market collapse.

“We’ve slowed immigration growth, which may help in years ahead. But without a solid plan, Canada risks becoming less livable and less employable,” he said.