Canadian employers anticipate steady hiring climate, survey finds

Canadian employers expect the hiring climate to remain steady for the second quarter of 2013, with employers in the manufacturing sector expecting only modest growth, according to the latest results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook of 12 per cent is a slight decrease when compared to the Outlook reported in the previous quarter. This Outlook is also a one percentage point drop from the Outlook reported during the same time last year. However, results for the second quarter do represent a continued trend of respectable hiring patterns seen over the course of the last year.

The survey of more than 1,900 Canadian employers reveals that 20 per cent of them plan to increase their payrolls in the second quarter of 2013, while five per cent anticipate cutbacks. Of those surveyed, 75 per cent of employers expect to maintain their current staffing levels.

Job seekers in Western and Atlantic Canada are likely to benefit from an upbeat hiring climate from April through June, while Ontario and Quebec still expect some gains. Although regional Outlooks are experiencing slight decreases compared to the previous quarter, job seekers will likely continue to find opportunities in the labour market as employers throughout Canada project the hiring pace will remain steady through the spring.

“Thanks in part to expected job gains from companies such as Walmart and Green Revolution EMS, the national hiring climate should remain upbeat,” said Byrne Luft, vice president of Operations for Manpower Canada. “Employers in the Transportation & Public Utilities and Construction sectors anticipate the strongest gains in the upcoming quarter, especially in Western Canada. Additionally, we’re seeing that most of the new jobs created in Canada so far this year have been full-time positions. This continuing trend toward full-time employment is an encouraging sign.”

The Net Employment Outlook for employers in the manufacturing – durables sector is a mild eight per cent. This is a four percentage point drop from the Outlook last quarter and a six percentage point decrease when compared to the Outlook reported in the same quarter last year.

In the manufacturing – non-durables industry sector, employers report a Net Employment Outlook of six per cent indicating a mild hiring climate for the second quarter of 2013. Employer hiring intentions are identical to the previous quarter, but four percentage points weaker than the Outlook reported during the same time last year.