Modest hiring climate on horizon for third-quarter 2016

Public administration sector to see strongest prospects: Survey

Canadian employers are not overly optimistic in terms of hiring intentions heading into the third quarter of 2016, according to the most recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

About 16 per cent of respondents plan to increase staffing levels in the third quarter of the year, while five per cent expect cutbacks, according to the Canadian survey of more than 1,900 employers.

About 78 per cent of employers surveyed expect current staffing levels to remain the same.

“Nationally, employment gains are expected to be modest in the third quarter,” said Darlene Minatel, vice-president of Manpower Canada Operations & Strategic Accounts in Toronto.  “However, we are seeing some bright spots.”

Employers in public administration are expecting a net employment outlook of 12 per cent in the third quarter, followed by employers in manufacturing-durables, expecting a net employment outlook of nine per cent.

Large-sized employers are expecting the most favourable hiring climate, with an outlook of 14 per cent. That’s compared to medium-sized employers with an outlook of eight per cent, and small employers with an outlook of four per cent.

Employers in Ontario and Quebec expect the best hiring climate, with a net employment outlook of seven per cent for each province. Western Canada has a less optimistic outlook of five per cent, while Atlantic Canada has an outlook of four per cent.

Other sectors

Services: eight per cent

• Finance, insurance and real estate: seven per cent

• Transportation and public utilities: five per cent

• Wholesale and retail trade: four per cent

• Manufacturing-non-durables: four per cent

• Construction: four per cent

• Education: four per cent

• Mining: negative one per cent

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