Canadian employers say that they are planning a fair amount of hiring for the coming months. The Manpower Group has just released its Employment Outlook report for the second quarter of 2016. This regular survey of hiring intentions predicts steady employment gains through the spring of this year.

For this national survey of 1,900 employers, business leaders from across regions and industries were asked, “All survey participants were asked, “How do you anticipate total employment at your location to change in the three months to the end of June 2016 as compared to the current quarter?”

15% say that they plan to hire increased staff. The majority, 78% indicate that they plan to maintain their current workforce. A further 2% said that they are still uncertain of their plans. The remaining 5% of employers surveyed said that they foresee staff cuts in the spring of 2016.

With many troubling headlines in the news lately about slowdowns in the oil and gas industry and the falling Loonie, it is encouraging to see this report indicating that hiring prospects are unchanged from the previous quarter and relatively stable year-over-year.

“Overall employment levels remain little changed across Canada,” said Michelle Dunnill from Manpower. “We’re noticing gains in some areas are being offset by declines in others. However, as the Canadian dollar remains low, we expect to see manufacturing begin to pick up, increasing demand for skilled labour.”

The Q2 Employment Outlook report forecasts the most robust hiring in the Public Administration, Finance, Insurance & Real Estate, and Transportation & Public Utilities sectors. Job seekers in the Mining sector should expect to see only limited employment growth through the spring of 2016.

Industries predicting the most hiring for Q2 of 2016

 

Industries predicting the least hiring

  • Mining
  • Manufacturing – Durables
  • Education

 

Hiring momentum continues to move eastward

The most optimistic hiring projections for the second quarter of 2016 are in the Atlantic Provinces and Ontario, while Quebec and the Western provinces lag behind with more modest employment forecasts.

Regions expecting to see increased hiring in Q2 of 2016

 

Areas expecting the least hiring

  • Mississauga, ON
  • Red Deer, AB
  • Northumberland, ON
  • Calgary, AB
  • St. Catharines, ON
  • Niagara Falls, ON

 

The results are summarized in the infographic below. Click the image to view a larger version (opens as a PDF). You can also read the full report at www.manpower.ca.

 

_______

– Follow Workopolis on Twitter

– Sign up for the Workopolis Weekly newsletter

– Listen to Safe for Work, the Workopolis podcast