Skills shortages are stalling projects, and companies are turning to contract talent to cope
Nearly six in 10 Canadian employers plan to increase permanent hiring before the end of 2026.
According to new research from talent and consulting firm Robert Half, 58 percent of more than 1,360 Canadian hiring managers surveyed said they will add permanent staff in the second half of the year.
A further 45 percent expect to bring on contract professionals to access specialized expertise, support priority initiatives and keep critical work moving.
Robert Half ties the hiring appetite to persistent skills shortages.
More than half of hiring managers, 53 percent, told the firm that finding qualified talent has become harder than it was before.
Those gaps are already disrupting work.
Over the past year, 56 percent of respondents reported significant project delays, and 48 percent said they cancelled projects because they lacked the skills to finish them.
When employers cannot find the people they need, technical or specialized skills top the list of what is hardest to source at 48 percent, followed by industry-specific knowledge at 47 percent and leadership ability at 41 percent.
Specialized skills also rank as the attribute hiring managers value most, cited by 53 percent.
Demand varies sharply by field.
Legal leads at 74 percent, according to Robert Half, ahead of marketing and creative at 66 percent and HR at 64 percent.
Finance and accounting follows at 58 percent, technology at 48 percent, and administrative and customer support at 41 percent.
Many organizations are ready to push key business priorities forward, said Koula Vasilopoulos, senior managing director for Robert Half in Canada.
But success "relies on having the right skills in place," she added.
She said employers are widening their talent strategies, drawing on both permanent and contract workers to reach the skills they need.
To cope with shortages, 37 percent of employers said they hire high-potential candidates and invest in developing them when fully qualified talent is not available to contribute right away.
Another 56 percent said they turn to staffing firms for access to specialized skills.
Finding professionals with specialized, in-demand skills "remains a challenge for many organizations, and employers are increasingly seeking flexible ways to address talent gaps," Vasilopoulos said.
