Report shows jobseekers pricing themselves above market rates — with HR roles showing some of the widest gaps
Canadian job seekers are entering the market with salary expectations that outstrip what employers are prepared to offer, according to new research.
At a global level, workers expect, on average, $94,078 in pay while businesses offer salaries of $83,668 (all numbers C$).
That’s a salary gap of $10,411 a year, with 99% of all job applicants expect more than the market offers, finds JobLeads.
Canadians are firmly on the side of those expecting more. The expected salary is listed at $90,636, while the offered salary is $66,797, for a difference of $23,839.
Gaps in salary expectations globally
Across all markets analyzed, the US has the highest salary gap of $41,000 a year.
France is the only country that has lower expectations than the actual salaries offered, with a gap of $30,300.
“This could be because French workers often base their salary expectations on legally mandated minimum pay scales set by industry agreements rather than what the market is actually paying. Combined with a cultural taboo around discussing salaries openly, many candidates may lack visibility into what employers are willing to pay, leading them to ask for less than the market would bear,” says Beata Stefanowicz, content writer at JobLeads.
Large gaps for HR professionals
In terms of industry and job-level breakdowns globally, human resources is among the top three sectors when it comes to higher salary gaps: Jobseekers are asking for $181,408 while employers are offering $123,428, making for a gap of $57,890.
Management & Operations sits just behind at $60,271.
In both cases, a big part of the problem is title ambiguity, according to Stefanowicz.
“’Manager’ can describe almost anyone, from a small team lead to a senior executive and candidates naturally tend to benchmark against the higher end of the scale.
“HR professionals face a particular irony where they often handle salary data for the rest of the business, yet still tend to overestimate what their own role commands on the open market.”
Sales has the highest discrepancy at $60,286. Part of this comes down to how compensation works, she says.
“These roles often come with commission, bonuses, and performance incentives on top of a base salary. So, candidates may factor in strong earning potential when setting expectations, but employers advertise base pay, not on-target earnings.”
Broken down somewhat, HR roles show sizeable gaps:
- HR strategy and management: expecting $215,851, offered $146,902 for a gap of $68,949
- General HR: expecting $172,295; offered $105,791 for gap of $66,504
- HR services: expecting $145,061; offered $84,451 for a gap of $60,610.
A human resources director in Toronto with limited experience should expect to earn anywhere from $117,777 to $161,939 in 2026, according to an earlier survey.
Ambition vs. realism: how candidates apply for roles
Beyond the raw numbers, JobLeads also examined how workers behave when they actually click “apply.” Nearly half of job seekers (46%) play it safe and only apply for positions squarely within their stated salary expectations.
But the other half feel more adventurous, says Stefanowicz.
“Four out of ten applicants shoot above their salary range, chasing positions that pay more than they initially said they wanted. It's a great strategic aspiration, as these job seekers understand that salary ranges are starting points, not ceilings. The right opportunity might be worth stretching for.”
At the same time, just over 8% of people apply for positions below their expectations.
