Nearly four in 10 Canadian professionals are either job searching or planning to begin in the first half of 2025, according to new survey results released by Robert Half. The firm reported 38 per cent of workers aim to move on, down from half in July 2024. Another 39 per cent said they would consider a switch if the right offer came along.
Pay remains the most common driver of turnover, cited by 41 per cent of respondents. Better perks and benefits (31 per cent), increased remote flexibility (27 per cent) and professional development opportunities (20 per cent) also ranked high among reasons for seeking a new position.
Workers who plan to stay in their roles said they value competitive salaries with regular merit increases (74 per cent), fair workloads (70 per cent), the chance to advance their careers (69 per cent) and supportive managers (69 per cent). Positive team cultures (68 per cent) and flexibility in where and when they work (66 per cent) were other key factors.
“While many professionals right now are still interested in pursuing new roles, the decrease in active job seeking may lead to increasing hiring challenges for the nearly half of businesses planning to expand their workforce in 2025,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, Senior Managing Director of Robert Half in Canada. “Employers will need to focus on strategies that help them find the right talent, promote a smooth hiring process, and attract skilled workers to new roles.”
The survey also found 94 per cent of respondents are confident in their abilities, with 73 per cent saying they learned new skills in the past 12 months. For those seeking new positions, common barriers include making their résumés stand out (70 per cent) and identifying jobs that align with their career goals (68 per cent). Lack of a salary range in job postings (42 per cent) and vague responsibilities (35 per cent) were among the red flags that deter applications.
Robert Half said the online survey was conducted in December 2024 by an independent research firm. It included responses from 1,500 professionals aged 18 and over across Canada.
