There were 5,010 Government of Nunavut positions across the territory in 2018-19, according to the Public Service Annual Report.
NNSL file photo
That represents 125 more jobs than the previous year.
Iqaluit led the way with 2,058 government positions. Rankin Inlet followed at 514. Cambridge Bay was next at 326.
The average salary climbed to $95,600, up from $94,268 the year prior. Non-Inuit averaged $106,902 while Inuit averaged $84,825. This was attributed to non-Inuit holding more management and professional-level jobs. Likewise men are still in more management and professional positions than women, accounting for the gap between the average salary for male public servants -- $102,077 -- versus $92,119 for female public servants.
The government paid out $409.5 million in regular salaries, $26.2 million in overtime, $84.6 million in Northern allowance, $4.2 million in housing allowance and $2.2 million for the Inuit language incentive/bilingual bonus in 2018-19.
Inuit employment remained steady at 50 per cent. Women continued to outpace men at 65 per cent to 35 per cent of the workforce.
The Nunavut Employees Union comprised 2,956 positions -- with only 2,041 of those being filled -- while the Nunavut Teachers' Association consisted of 816 -- with only 783 being occupied.
Overall, 71 per cent of the 5,010 GN jobs were filled as of March 31, 2019.
The GN stated in the report that it is "making every effort" to address the imbalance in male/female and Inuit/non-Inuit salaries through "various career development training programs targeted at Inuit employees, like the Sivuliqtiksat Internship Program, Hivuligtikhanut Leadership Development Program, Amaaqtarniq Education Leave Program, Career Broadening Program and Policy Development Program. Direct Appointments focused on the hiring and promotion of Inuit and females."
The territorial government was recognized as one of Canada’s Top Employers for young people and recent graduates in 2019.