Huge share of Canadian companies plan on hiring for new jobs in 2025

If you’re looking for a career change in 2025, there’s some hope as a significant portion of Canadian companies are planning on hiring for new positions in the first half of the new year.

According to new data from Robert Half’s State of Canadian Hiring Survey, 46 per cent of companies intend to add new permanent positions in the first six months of 2025.

The international resource consulting firm notes that new hiring is expected to be “robust” into the new year.

Almost half (49 per cent) of hiring managers plan on filling vacant positions and 54 per cent said they are increasing their hiring of contractors to help with projects in the new year.

Growth was cited as the main reason for hiring, as 47 per cent of managers planning to increase staff said it was a primary factor in bringing on more employees. Employee turnover rates (44 per cent), and new projects (41 per cent) were also mentioned as key factors.

Robert Half

A significant number of managers surveyed also noted that when new roles aren’t opened it can lead to decreased productivity (40 per cent), burnout and stretched bandwidth of staff (39 per cent) and delayed projects (34 per cent).

According to Koula Vasilopoulos, senior marketing manager of Robert Half Canada, 2024 brought many hiring challenges including “skills gaps and talent shortages” as well as tough economic conditions.

“While hiring plans remain high as we enter 2025, businesses must ensure they have the right hiring strategies in place to keep key initiatives running smoothly, complete projects on time, achieve goals and attract top talent for the future,” she said.

“In addition, they need to mitigate burnout and decreased productivity from overstretched teams through strong retention plans.”

The survey results come as the Canadian unemployment rate rose 6.8 per cent in November, marking the highest in eight years.

A recent survey by Statistics Canada states that while 51,000 people found work, unemployment went up to “the highest rate since January 2017 (excluding the years 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic).”

That level has been steadily increasing by 1.7 per cent since April 2023. The latest findings reveal that there are now 87,000 (or 6.1 per cent) more people looking for work.

So, if you’ve been struggling to find a job, 2025 could be your year.

The online survey was conducted by an independent research firm on behalf of Robert Half in December 2024. It includes responses from over 1,050 managers with hiring responsibilities in finance, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and HR in companies with over 20 employees.

With files from Irish Mae Silvestre