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Canada′s hiring outlook for 2016: Where the jobs will be created

Canada is seeing slow but steady increases in job openings being advertised online in the final months of 2015, according ot website Workopolis. Their team here is cautiously optimistic for the job market at the outset of 2016. It seems that Canadian employers are feeling similarly.

A new survey of the hiring intentions of Canadian employers across the country reveals which regions and industries are expecting to see increased employment in the beginning of 2016.

The Manpower Group has just released its Employment Outlook report for the first quarter of 2016. Most Canadian employers say that they are planning only modest hiring over the coming months. Hiring is predicted to increase from Q4 of this year, but the employment outlook remains slightly lower than it was at this same period in 2015.

For this national survey of 1,900 employers, only 9% say that they plan to hire increased staff. The majority, 81% indicate that they plan to maintain their current workforce, and 3% are uncertain of their plans. The remaining 7% of employers foresee staff cuts in the coming months.

Ontario and the Atlantic provinces are projected to see the healthiest hiring climates heading into the new year. The job market continues to slow down in the West, and Quebec is also expected to see fewer new jobs at least at the outset of 2016.

We are seeing some positive signs for Canadian job seekers, with overall employment in the country surpassing 18 million for the first time,” said Michelle Dunnill, Manpower Area Manager for Toronto. “Employment in natural resources continues its downward trend, particularly in Alberta. However, we expect modest gains overall in the coming quarter, led by stronger growth in the transportation, construction and manufacturing – durables sectors.”

For a by-sector breakdown see the Workopolis website.