The Canadian hiring climate is expected to remain “respectable” throughout the fourth quarter of 2012 according to the latest data from employment consulting experts Manpower Inc.
Following a survey of nearly 1,900 Canadian employers, Manpower has forecast that more than twice as many companies will add staff than will cut back on employees. Strength in mining and construction will help buoy hiring in many parts of the nation.
“Job seekers in all regions are likely to benefit from a positive hiring climate from October through December, with employers in Western Canada reporting the most upbeat Outlook,” said Manpower vice president of operations, staffing services Byrne Luft. “Although regional Outlooks have experienced moderate decreases compared to the previous quarter, job seekers should maintain confidence in the labour market as employers throughout Canada anticipate the hiring pace will remain steady through the autumn.”
Despite a generally rosy outlook, hiring across Canada is expected to take a hit from previous strong readings in many sectors.
In mining, while employment is predicted to remain strong, the figures represent a five percentage point drop from the previous quarter and a slight drop from last year’s numbers. Nonetheless, the sector remains an employment driver in Canada, reporting the strongest forecasts of any sector in six of the last seven quarters.
Construction is expected to show well in hiring and employment, actually increasing from a Net Employment Outlook of nine per cent last quarter and 11 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year to 14 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Luft said those sectors will help boost employment in western Canada, which is expected to be the strongest region in Canada in terms of jobs.
“The Outlook for this region is due in part to the healthy hiring forecast reported by employers in the construction and mining sectors,” he said. “In Alberta, demand for skilled tradespeople such as carpenters and ironworkers has been very strong.”
Luft added that employers in Quebec and Atlantic Canada also predict reasonable job growth, while Ontario’s growth is expected to be more modest.
“Some new manufacturing and national resources projects are likely to add substantially to employment in Ontario,” he said. “These prospective gains are offset by large-scale workforce reductions expected elsewhere within the province.”
