Favourable hiring climate for third quarter: Manpower

23 per cent of employers plan to increase payrolls, 5 per cent to cut

Canadian employers expect the hiring climate to remain favourable for the third quarter of 2012, according to a Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

With seasonal variations removed from the data, a net employment outlook of 12 per cent is relatively stable when compared to the outlook reported in the previous quarter, found the survey of more than 1,900 employers. This is also a four percentage point drop from the outlook reported during the same time last year.

However, results for the third quarter represent one of the more subdued employer forecasts in more than two years. Almost one-quarter (23 per cent) plan to increase payrolls in the third quarter of 2012, while five per cent anticipate cutbacks. Of those surveyed, 70 per cent expect to maintain current staffing levels while two per cent are unsure of their hiring intentions for the upcoming quarter.

"Jobseekers in all regions are likely to benefit from a steady hiring climate from July through September," said Byrne Luft, vice-president of operations, staffing services at Manpower Canada. "Although some outlooks have decreased slightly compared to the previous quarter, jobseekers should maintain confidence in the labour market as employers throughout Canada anticipate the hiring pace will remain upbeat through the summer."

Regionally, employers in Western Canada anticipate the strongest hiring climates for the upcoming quarter, said Luft.

"The data indicates employers expect a favourable environment for jobseekers, reporting a net employment outlook of 18 per cent. The forecast for this region is due in part to the robust hiring forecast reported by employers in the transportation and public utilities industry sector.”

In Quebec, employers anticipate an upbeat hiring climate for the upcoming quarter, reporting a net employment outlook of 16 per cent, said Luft. Employers in Ontario and Atlantic Canada project a modest third quarter with net employment outlooks of 10 and nine per cent, respectively.

Breakdown by sectors

Mining: Employers in the mining sector anticipate a healthy third quarter in 2012, reporting a net employment outlook of 23 per cent. This is a two percentage point improvement from the previous quarter. The outlook remains strong with no change from the same time last year.

Transportation and public utilities: Employers forecast a favourable hiring climate, reporting a net employment outlook of 18 per cent for the third quarter of 2012. This is a two percentage point increase from the forecast reported for the previous quarter; however it remains unchanged from the same time last year.

Finance, insurance and real estate: Employers report a net employment outlook of 14 per cent for the third quarter of 2012, indicating an upbeat hiring climate. This is a slight improvement from the forecast of 10 per cent reported for the previous quarter and is relatively stable compared to the outlook reported during the same time last year.

Wholesale and retail trade: In the wholesale and retail trade industry sector, employers anticipate a respectable hiring climate, reporting a net employment outlook of 13 per cent. This is relatively stable compared to the previous quarter's forecast and the same time last year.

Manufacturing – durables: With a net employment outlook of 12 per cent, employers in the manufacturing -- durables sector anticipate a favourable hiring climate for jobseekers. This outlook remains relatively stable compared to both the prior quarter's forecast and the outlook reported last year.

Services: In the services sector, employers anticipate a steady hiring climate for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a net employment outlook of 12 per cent. This is a slight decline of two percentage points from the previous quarter and the same time last year.

Construction: Reporting a net employment outlook of eight per cent, employers in the construction sector anticipate a fair hiring climate for the upcoming quarter. This forecast declines when compared to both the outlook of 13 per cent reported during the previous quarter and 18 per cent reported during the same time last year.

Public administration: In the public administration industry sector, employers anticipate a fair hiring environment for the third quarter of 2012, reporting a net employment outlook of eight per cent. This is a slight improvement from the previous quarter’s outlook of six per cent but it is a nine percentage point decrease compared to the same period last year.

Manufacturing -- non-durables: In the manufacturing -- non-durables industry sector, employers report a net employment outlook of four per cent indicating a mild hiring climate for the third quarter of 2012. Employer hiring intentions also declined moderately from the previous quarter when employers reported an outlook of 10 per cent. It is also a 10 percentage point drop from the same time last year.

Education: Employers report a net employment outlook of one per cent, indicating a modest hiring climate for the upcoming three-month period. This is a slight drop from the previous quarter when employers reported an outlook of eight per cent, and an eight percentage point decrease from last year during the same time. It is also the least optimistic forecast reported by education sector employers since the fourth quarter of 2009.

The Manpower Employment Outlook Survey is available for 41 countries and territories and is based on interviews with more than 65,000 public and private employers.

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