Robert Half: Nearly 6 in 10 Canadian Employers Plan to Increase Hiring Before End of 2026

NewsData.io · United States · Jul 29, 2026

A Robert Half survey of more than 1,360 Canadian hiring managers finds 58% plan to increase permanent hiring in the second half of 2026, up from 55% at the start of the year. An additional 45% expect to bring on contract professionals to address specialized skills gaps, with 56% actively turning to staffing firms for support. Skills shortages remain acute — more than half report finding qualified talent is harder than before, and 48% say they have cancelled projects due to skills gaps. Demand is strongest in legal, marketing and creative, HR, finance and accounting, and technology.