What happened
More Canadian employers are going into the second half of 2026 with hiring plans, but many are still struggling to find people, as reported by Talent Canada. The findings come from an Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey of 508 Canadian hiring decision-makers, run online from May 15 to June 1.
About 74% of hiring managers feel positive about their company's hiring outlook for the rest of 2026, up from 67% in the fall of 2025. Some 43% plan to add staff, close to the 44% seen last fall. Another 47% plan to hold headcount steady, and 8% plan to cut.
The gap is on the supply side. 32% say they have open positions they cannot fill, up from 29%. Among companies adding staff, 56% cite more work volume, 44% are filling newly created roles, and 29% each are replacing turnover or expanding into new categories or markets. Among those cutting, 60% cite cost, 46% cite automation, technology or AI, and 31% are not backfilling departures. Overall, 86% expect hiring challenges, led by finding qualified candidates at 45%.
Why it matters if you are hiring
Demand is coming from real work, not just sentiment. Volume growth and new roles mean you are likely competing for the same qualified people as other employers, and 20% of managers named increased competition as a concern.
The shortage is the main constraint. If 45% of employers expect trouble finding qualified candidates, a slow or vague process will lose people to a faster one. That applies to every function, from plant and operations roles to finance and sales.
Backfilling is also a decision point. Nearly a third of employers planning cuts are simply not replacing leavers. If you are doing the same, check whether the workload is quietly moving onto the people who remain, because that is how turnover starts.
The survey's own point on training is worth noting. Express CEO Bob Funk Jr. said the right worker may not arrive ready-made, but with training and support can become the right fit. Where a perfect match is scarce, a candidate with strong potential and a clear development plan is often the better hire.
One thing to do this week
List every role that has been open longer than 60 days. For each one, decide which requirement is truly essential and which could be trained on the job, then rewrite the posting and the screening criteria to match. Set a 48-hour target for responding to qualified applicants.
Traverse Staffing helps Canadian employers fill operations, finance, sales, manufacturing and technical roles with vetted people, including the hard-to-fill ones that have sat open too long.