Nearly a third (31 per cent) of Canadian employees are currently looking or plan to look for a new role in the second half of 2022, up from 28 per cent in December 2021, according to a new survey by Robert Half Canada Inc.

The survey, which polled more than 500 Canadian employees, found those most likely to pursue new opportunities are employees aged 18 to 40 (46 per cent) and employees who have been with their company for five to nine years (42 per cent).

Read: 43% of Canadian workers considering looking for a new job in 2022: survey

More than half (56 per cent) of workers considering a change said they plan to pursue hybrid or fully remote (51 per cent) positions and 42 per cent are open to searching outside their city. Overall, 80 per cent of workers reported they feel confident about their current skill set and marketability.

The main reasons employees cited in their job search are a salary boost (58 per cent), greater opportunities for advancement (37 per cent) and the ability to work remotely permanently (33 per cent).

“Companies in Canada continue to face a scarcity of skilled talent,” said David King, Canadian senior managing director of Robert Half, in a press release. “Attracting and hiring candidates is top of mind for many organizations right now as workers explore new job opportunities that offer higher compensation, better perks and benefits and remote work options.”

Read: Benefits tops list of retention tools for employers: survey