Only five per cent of Canadian hiring managers say they have the headcount and employees with necessary skills to complete high-priority projects, according to a new survey by Robert Half.
The survey, which polled 1,500 hiring managers across Canada, found 57 per cent reported having skills gaps in their department and 58 per cent said the gap is more noticeable than it was one year ago.
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More than half (53 per cent) of respondents said finding skilled talent has become more challenging in the last year, with artificial intelligence contributing to the problem. Nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) also reported challenges identifying the right talent due to the influx of AI-generated applications. The top skills gap areas cited in the human resources field were AI literacy, soft skills and leadership and learning and development.
Despite ongoing skills gaps, 79 per cent of managers were confident in their business outlook for the first half of 2026. More than half (55 per cent) reported increasing or adding new positions in the first half of 2026, compared to 46 per cent in the first half of 2025.
“As the gap between available skills and business needs continues to widen, many organizations are responding proactively,” said Koula Vasilopoulos, senior managing director at Robert Half Canada, in a press release. “Companies are increasingly dependent on specialized expertise to deliver results, yet the hiring landscape has become far more complex, especially with the rapid adoption of AI.”
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