Salary concerns are top of mind for Canadian professionals

Key salary concerns in Canada

What’s more, salary remains the top focus for professionals in a new job (60%), while 32% of hiring managers say they are increasing starting salaries specifically to attract new hires.

Managers are also offering hybrid work (39%), flexible schedules (37%) and new perks or benefits (30%).

Many professionals in Canada (44%) prefer two to three days per week at the office, while employers would on average prefer their teams in office four days per week. However, 32% of workers who are looking for a new job say more flexibility is the main reason why.

For those looking to increase their salary, Robert Half recommends they:

• Evaluate the entire compensation package, including benefits and perks, and explore options to improve work-life flexibility
• Prioritize skill development and pursue relevant training and certifications to boost your marketability
• Explore contract positions that provide exposure to different projects, teams, work environments and industries

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Hiring issues

Managers report long hiring cycles are leading to high turnover due to heavy workloads (44%), higher recruitment costs (42%), losing top candidates to competitors (40%) and delayed or cancelled projects (39%).

Related, a lack of suitable succession candidates (42%), insufficient upskilling programs (39%) and having internal candidates uninterested in leadership roles (35%) are some of the top succession challenges businesses face. To counter this, many are focusing on upskilling employees, hiring and training high-potential candidates and bringing in contract talent.

There is also a continuous focus on AI. Managers report that AI is leading to a shift in high-demand skills (51%), more contract workers or consultants (40%), increased hiring (32%) and outsourcing of projects (29%).

Survey methodology

The 2025 Canada Salary Guide features employment trends and starting salaries for hundreds of positions across the finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support and human resources professions in Canada. It is based on data from job placements managed by Robert Half teams throughout Canada, an analysis of the demand for each position, the supply of talent and other market conditions, as well as online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by independent research firms. The surveys were fielded in June and include responses from more than 1,750 workers aged 18 or older, and 1,800 managers with hiring responsibilities at companies with 20 or more employees in Canada.