'It's probably one of the best times to do some talent acquisition'
The Canadian labour market is in a good place at the start of 2025, according to one expert.
Canada’s labour market has entered its most balanced state in five years, creating favourable conditions for employers to make strategic hires, says Jeff Aplin, CEO of staffing company Aplin, in talking with HRD Canada.
“There's moderate hiring and there's moderate availability of talent. It’s probably one of the best times to do some talent acquisition – some strategic and thoughtful talent acquisition for employers that are looking to add to their team or make changes to their lineup of people.”
Hiring activity across Canada is poised to remain strong in early 2025, according to a previous report from Robert Half.
This equilibrium in 2025 follows a turbulent period shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid recovery, and subsequent cooling.
"If you go back... the pandemic was devastating to the labour market. And then it was absolutely on fire coming out of the pandemic, where it was extremely challenging to hire people,” Aplin says.
Over the past two years, unemployment has risen while productivity has declined, resulting in what Aplin calls a “roller coaster” labour market.
Still, right now, it is probably one of the more balanced times, he says, “and balanced labour markets are one of the more favourable ones to employers and companies that are looking to hire and add to their team.”
Despite the positivity, employers cannot be complacent as they continue to face a number of issues this year, says Aplin. Political and economic factors – including the recent U.S. presidential transition – are causing hesitation among employers.
“Employers are dealing with an enormous amount of uncertainty and uncertainty delays decisions – including hiring decisions, including staffing up first strategic projects.”
He says that uncertainty is “a drain” on employers as it leads many to inaction.
Recruitment scams can also be a problem for employers, according to a previous report.
Still, there’s a sense of positivity. Reflecting on recent economic challenges, Aplin highlighted reasons for optimism.
“The Canadian economy and the Canadian labour market have already been through a major recessionary contraction... The positive is that the negatives are mostly in the rearview mirror,” he says.
For this year, Aplin notes that employers should put a prime focus on increasing productivity in their recruitment strategies.
After all, productivity is one thing that “Canada has done very poorly on,” he says.
“I encourage all employers to focus on what makes their team and their organization more productive… In 2025, productivity is a very strategic and important priority for all employers.”
Asked for advice on a successful hiring campaign this year, Alpin points to “a tried and true” formula.
“All employers should have a well-defined process to lead them to successful outcomes... but it can be a flexible process depending on the role that you’re hiring for,” he says.
With more than one in three employees across the world planning to leave their current job, according to a previous report from the ManpowerGroup, employers have plenty of opportunities for hiring.
Recently, Alpin acquired Impact Recruitment, a Vancouver-based staffing firm specializing in professional, industrial, and administrative recruitment.
“This acquisition enables us to better serve our clients in British Columbia while maintaining the high-quality service and support they expect,” he says.
