Canadian employers expect a moderate hiring climate for the third quarter of 2013, with employers in the Transportation & Public Utilities sector reporting the strongest 3Q job prospects, according to the latest results of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
With seasonal variations removed from the data, the Net Employment Outlook of 9% is a slight drop when compared to the Outlook reported in the previous quarter. This outlook is also a three percentage point drop from the outlook reported during the same time last year. However, results for the third quarter do represent some encouraging signs.
The survey of over 1900 Canadian employers reveals that 21% of them plan to increase their payrolls in the third quarter of 2013, while 6% anticipate cutbacks. Of those surveyed, 71% of employers expect to maintain their current staffing levels and 2% are unsure.
Job seekers in Western and Atlantic Canada are likely to benefit from a steady hiring climate from July through September, while they can still expect some opportunities in Ontario and Quebec. Although some regional outlooks are experiencing slight decreases compared to the previous quarter, job seekers will likely continue to find prospects in the labour market as employers throughout Canada expect the hiring pace will be moderate through the summer.
“Overall, a moderate national hiring climate is projected in the coming quarter,” said Byrne Luft, VP of operations for Manpower Canada. “While most industries are expected to see little change over the previous quarter, employers in the Transportation & Public Utilities and Construction sectors anticipate the strongest gains, especially in Western Canada. This is due in part to continued government infrastructure spending, in accordance with Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2013.”
Reporting a Net Employment Outlook of 15%, employers in the Construction sector expect to see a respectable hiring climate for the upcoming quarter. This forecast is a two percentage point drop from the outlook reported during the previous quarter, but a five percentage point increase over the outlook reported during the same time last year.