The July 2026 jobs report for Canada exceeded all expectations. It underscores the issue of securing a skilled and experienced workforce to make the most of opportunities coming hard and fast in the 3rd and 4th quarter of this year. 32% of hiring managers in Canada report their company has open positions they cannot fill: that is up from 29% at the same time in 2025. (“The Jobs Insights” survey) In the staffing and temporary recruitment industry, we are guiding our client companies through these issues in real time. Here are the key elements we’ve identified:
What jobs go unfilled the longest?
- Forklift Operators, particularly Crown Reach & Cherry Picker
- Customer service
- Technical sales professionals
- Accountants, temporary/contract accounting
- Entry-level general labour jobs in small towns or remote areas with limited public transport
- DZ delivery drivers
- Millwrights and welders
- People who can pass both medical and police checks for work in cannabis sector
- Night shift workers in almost any industry
- Cold storage facility shipper-receivers, packagers etc.
Why are these roles going unfilled?
- Students workers leave summer jobs and return to college/university, leaving positions vacant.
- Foreign Worker & Foreign Student permits are not being renewed, causing abrupt departures when these workers need to leave the country.
- Payrates are not attracting experienced people: The groups identified above were often willing to accept more entry-level wages in an effort to gain initial Canadian work experience. This is not the case for permanent residents and citizens, who are often already established in their careers. Payrates, perks and benefits need to be re-evaluated if the exodus of foreign workers or student workers has impacted your market.
- Tightening labour market overall due to positive job growth and lower unemployment rates across Canada: these conditions create intense competition between companies to retain and attract preferred candidates.
How can you increase the candidate pool for these positions?
- If experienced or trained people are hard to come by for specific machinery/equipment, build an in-house training program that gives existing team members a path to develop these skills, thereby future-proofing your talent pipeline internally, and securing ongoing commitment from already-proven associates.
- If certifications are missing from people who do have the skills and experience, consider a sponsorship program to help pay for the certifications, or offer a payroll deduction over a period of weeks or months to cover the cost of getting certified.
- Offer alternative schedules, such as weekend shifts for part time workers, or a Tuesday to Saturday work week, or 10 or 12-hour shifts Monday to Thursdays. This will attract people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to consider your position due to observing holy days, child or elder care commitments, custody arrangements, or taking part-time classes.
- Align shift times with public transport schedules: this immediately opens up your candidate pool to great people who simply do not have full-time access to a personal vehicle.
What are the ways you can shorten the time it takes to hire someone?
The Job Insights survey by The Harris Poll found that a quarter (28%) of hiring managers say it takes more time to hire a candidate compared to two years ago. 30% say it takes four weeks or more to hire a candidate because of time spent reviewing resumes, conducting interviews and finalizing selections. Here are some tips to reducing the time to hire:
- Streamline your hiring process to as few interviews as possible. On average people are being interviewed 3 times, and with such tight competition, this results in candidates receiving other job offers before you’ve even finished your screening process.
- Utilize a staffing or recruiting agency to help find that needle in a haystack. Trust the agency’s vetting process: Work with them to set the screening conditions from the beginning, so you can have confidence in their referrals. Limit interviews to final-round candidates, and only in highly skilled positions. Set clear timelines for decision-making. Read more here
- Shorten the time it takes to confirm interview times by giving your staffing company a pre-set schedule of interview timeslots that you can accommodate. This eliminates the tedious back-and-forth communication to schedule a simple interview timeslot: it will save everyone precious time better spent elsewhere.
Are you a company needing help securing your preferred candidates for an upcoming project, seasonal ramp-up, or to meet your hiring goals and grow your team? Use the contact form below to receive a reach-out from our experienced team.
