Canada HR hiring picks up pace, but it's a mid-level market
New HR postings rose 21% over the past 30 days to 212, spread across 366 companies with no single employer dominating the list.
The middle posted range across all levels. 45% of open roles post their pay.
232 roles with yearly payof open roles are at employers with recent Canadian LMIA approvals.
Canada LMIA approvals, matched by employeris what the typical role asks for. 10% ask for 10 years or more.
77% of open roles state yearsThis week's read
Canada's People & HR market is busier than it was a month ago. There are 519 open roles right now, and new postings in the last 30 days hit 212, up from 175 in the prior 30 days, a 21% jump. Roles also stay open a median of 20 days, so things are moving at a decent clip for anyone applying now.
This is not a market run by a handful of big names. The top 8 employers, including MMC, CBCRC, Celestica International and CIBC, together hold just 8% of all open roles. MMC has the most listed openings at 7, with several others tied at 5 each. If you're job hunting, that means your odds are not tied to a few large companies: hiring is spread across 366 companies in total.
Most of these jobs sit in the middle of the ladder. 68% of titles are mid-level, while senior titles make up 15% and principal roles 9%. Experience asks match that shape: the median minimum is 5 years, and only 10% of postings call for 10 or more years. Pay reflects the same pattern, with 151 mid-level roles typically paying C$79k to C$95k, compared with C$100k to C$133k for the 57 senior and lead roles, and C$126k to C$171k for the 23 director roles on offer. Across all levels, the typical range runs C$88k to C$115k, though only 45% of postings, 232 roles, actually state pay.
On tools, HRIS appears in 24% of postings and Workday in 20%, making them the two most asked-for systems by a clear margin. AI and machine learning show up in 8% of listings. Employment law knowledge is named in 19% of postings, well ahead of other industries like manufacturing at 6%. Remote work is rare here: just 6% of open roles are remote, so most of this hiring expects you in an office.
What this means for you
Three things you can act on this week
- Hiring is spread wide, not narrow
The top 8 employers hold only 8% of open roles, so don't fixate on a shortlist of big names. With 366 companies hiring, casting a wide net across smaller and mid-size employers makes sense.
- This market rewards mid-level experience
68% of titles are mid-level and the median minimum ask is 5 years. Only 10% of postings want 10-plus years, so heavy senior credentials are not the main filter here.
- Know your tools before you apply
HRIS is named in 24% of postings and Workday in 20%, the two most common systems asked for. If you have hands-on experience with either, it's worth highlighting clearly in your application.
Pay
What People roles in Canada pay, by level
The middle (median) of the pay ranges employers post. Read each bar from the typical low end to the typical high end of a posting. 45% of open roles post their pay.
See the numbers
| Level | Roles with pay | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director | 23 | C$126k | C$171k |
| Senior / Lead | 57 | C$100k | C$133k |
| Mid level | 151 | C$79k | C$95k |
Yearly CAD ranges only (hourly pay and other currencies are left out). Level is read from the job title.
Momentum
New People roles each week
Last 30 days: 212 new roles, against 175 the 30 days before (+21%). Each week counts the same companies, and a role counts as new only in the week it was posted, so a careers site we start reading never shows up as growth.
See the numbers
| Week starting | New roles |
|---|---|
| 7 Sep | 42 |
| 14 Sep | 48 |
| 21 Sep | 46 |
| 28 Sep | 36 |
| 5 Oct | 56 |
| 12 Oct | 51 |
| 19 Oct | 43 |
| 26 Oct | 62 |
Who is hiring
The companies with the most open People roles
366 companies are hiring. The top eight hold 8% of the open roles.
| Company | Open roles | Change in new roles | LMIA approvals |
|---|---|---|---|
| MMC | 7 | ||
| CBCRC | 5 | ||
| Celestica International | 5 | ||
| CIBC | 5 | ||
| JDI | 5 | ||
| Ledcor | 5 | ||
| McKesson | 5 | ||
| University of Waterloo | 5 |
Change compares new roles in the last 30 days with the 30 days before, shown where a company posted 25 or more in the earlier 30 days. Staffing agencies are left out. A company name links to its Ashney company page where there is one.
What they ask for
The technology People roles ask for most
Ask Rate is the share of roles that name a skill, from 506 postings read in full. Ways of working (methods such as Agile, tools such as Jira) are listed apart; office tools and soft skills are left out.
Ways of working
Industries named most: Employment law 19%, Manufacturing 6%, Consulting 5%. Certifications named: Certified Compensation Professional 2%, Prosci Certified Change Practitioner 2%, SHRM certification 1%. 6% of open roles say they are remote.
Cite this report