Hiring projections for early 2014: Regions and sectors expecting the most robust job creation

Canadian companies are planning to continue hiring in the new year with 13% of employers surveyed saying that they plan to increase the size of their staff between January and March of 2014, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
The quarterly employment outlook survey of 1,900 employers reveals that 13% plan to increase their staff payrolls in the second quarter, 78% intend to maintain their current workforce, and only 8% are foreseeing cuts. This marks a two percent increase in hiring over the final quarter of this year and is roughly equivalent to the hiring outlook was like at the start of 2013.
“Overall, a respectable national hiring climate is projected in the coming quarter,” said Byrne Luft, Vice President of Operations for Manpower Canada. “Employers in the construction industry are again anticipating the strongest payroll gains, however most new jobs in the sector are expected in Western Canada and Ontario. Nationally, though job creation continues at a steady pace, many of the gains are expected to occur in lower-paying sectors.”
Regional projections
Employers in Western Canada anticipate the most robust hiring climate for early 2014, reporting an employment outlook of 17%. Employers in Ontario and Atlantic Canada expect a modest hiring pace with an outlook of 8%, while employers in Quebec anticipate only limited opportunities for candidates looking for jobs with only 1% of employers expecting to staff up.
Sectors expecting increased hiring
The biggest employment gains early next year are expected to be in Construction with a 16% employment outlook. Retail (14%), Manufacturing Durables (14%), Education (13%), and Finance, Insurance, Real Estate (12%) are the other sectors projecting the healthiest hiring climates for the start of 2014.
The Services sector, along with Mining, Transportation & Utilities, Manufacturing Non-Durables, and Public Administration are all expecting more modest hiring for the coming months.
Online Job Postings
This survey aligns with Workopolis’ own research into the job market. Our longer term projections also remain in positive growth territory. Online job postings continue to increase month over month. This and the key economic indicators that we watch continue to be positive, and so Workopolis would expect to see increased hiring continue into the New Year and ongoing slow but steady growth in employment.
According to Statistics Canada, the Canadian economy added 22,000 jobs in November, keeping the national unemployment rate steady at 6.9%, the lowest it has been since the start of the recession in late 2008.
For more details from the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, you can download the full report here. [PDF]
_______