Employment outlook is moderate as COVID continues: survey

Employment intentions in manufacturing are up from the previous quarter for the first quarter of 2021. Photo: Fotolia

TORONTO — Canadian employers expect a moderate hiring pace over the next three months, including manufacturing, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

The net employment outlook for Canada (those hiring versus those cutting staff) is 7% with seasonal variables removed for the first quarter of 2021, a one-point advance over the Q4 outlook, but down 3% year-over-year. The Toronto-based workforce specialist said employers in all four regions of the country and in nine industry sectors expect to increase payrolls next quarter.

Manufacturing (non-durables) registered a second consecutive increase of 12% for Q1-2021 but a 3% decline year-over year. Durables manufacturers were 11% for the coming quarter, up 2% from Q4-2020 but down 5% year-over-year.

Employers in the public administration and the transportation and public utilities sectors report the strongest job prospects, and job creators in Ontario and Quebec are forecasting the strongest outlook of the four regions in Canada with outlooks of 9%.

The survey of over 1,200 employers across Canada reveals 74% of the employers surveyed expect their current staffing levels to remain unchanged, while the remaining 5% are unsure of their hiring intentions.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact businesses with 41% of employers expecting to return to pre-Covid -19 hiring levels within the next 12 months while 26% of employers don’t expect to ever return to pre-Covid hiring levels.