The latest survey by Manpower Inc. found that Canadian employers expect hiring practices in the first quarter of 2014 to remain stable compared to a year ago.
It found that the net employment outlook for the quarter is 12 per cent, two per cent higher than the previous quarter, and about the same as the first quarter of 2013.
The survey found that 13 per cent of respondents expect to add employees in the January-March quarter, while eight per cent say they plan on scaling back their payrolls.
Seventy-eight per cent say they anticipate their current staffing levels to remain the same.
It found that hiring prospects were most favourable in Western Canada, with employers in the construction sector reporting the highest net employment look at 16 per cent.
The survey is based on interviews with more than 1,900 employers in Canada.
“Overall, a respectable national hiring climate is projected in the coming quarter,” Byrne Luft, vice president of operations for Manpower Canada said in a statement.
“Employers in the construction industry are again anticipating the strongest payroll gains, however most new jobs in the sector are expected in Western Canada and Ontario. Nationally, though job creation continues at a steady pace, many of the gains are expected to occur in lower-paying sectors.”